


Marionette

by RensSaxophone



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: M/M, Mind Control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:07:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 22,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25957996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RensSaxophone/pseuds/RensSaxophone
Summary: In this world some are made to control, and others are made to be controlled. For most of his life Tokiya had believed himself to be average, not expecting to be controlled- but one night things go to hell.
Relationships: Ichinose Tokiya/Jinguuji Ren, Ichinose Tokiya/Kurosaki Ranmaru
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> ren is basically a villain. there is romance but its very manipulative and not healthy, so please be careful if that's triggering

There were special people in this world, divided into three types. 

The first types were people like Ren, the rarest of them all. With nothing but a mark, Ren could get almost anyone on this planet under his control- and while there weren’t many like Ren, those that were tended to have quite a few people under their control. Ren was considered a puppeteer. 

And then, most of the population, Tokiya included, were considered puppets. If they had the bad luck of crossing a puppeteer, they usually lost the free will that they did have. The moment they were marked, they were property- under the eyes of the law, and of the puppeteer they “belonged” to. They were incapable of refusing any orders they were given, and that was for life. Of course, it _was_ against the law to steal a puppeteer’s puppet. Once you were claimed, you had one owner- and if they chose to throw you away, you were lucky. So long as you weren’t broken before you were abandoned. Of course, some puppets became dependent on their puppeteers, desperate to do anything for their masters, and those were the kind that scared Tokiya. It was the kind Tokiya never wanted to be.

And then there were the last few, more plentiful than the puppeteers but far less likely than puppets. They were the type that couldn’t be controlled, but couldn’t control others, either. They were just humans- and most puppets at some point in their life wish that they were just normal humans. Some puppets, until the point that they are controlled, believe themselves to be normal humans. Puppeteers were the only ones that knew for sure what they were, and what others were. 

Puppeteers were often drawn towards unclaimed puppets- and they’re usually dissuaded by the presence of claimed puppets and other puppeteers, and they don’t tend to feel any certain away about normal humans. 

Puppeteers went about claiming in all sorts of ways. 

There were the puppeteers, like the man Tokiya was faced with now, that forced it. Tokiya was pressed against the back of an alley, a genuine look of fear on his face. He had no idea that he _was_ a puppet- but he’s figuring it out as the man slowly closes in on him. Tokiya was twenty. He had been left alone as a child, because most puppeteers were kind enough to leave kids alone. Not all of them, of course, but many children lived a normal life. Puppeteer children were still working on their self-control, and until they reach the age (usually around eighteen) that they understand exactly how their powers work, they feel no need to mark other children and teachers are very clear that there is to be _no_ marking until they’re of age. There were laws against grown puppeteers targeting any puppet under the age of sixteen, but it was heavily implied that it was improper to make a move until they were eighteen. 

Tokiya, until this moment, had never felt as in danger as he had now. Tokiya was a college kid- he was trying to get into a field of science, but he hadn’t even chosen a specific major within it, and now he wouldn’t have the chance. Even if Tokiya were capable of fighting this approaching man off, he’d be in a lot of trouble for hurting a puppeteer. And of course, after he had been claimed, he’d have to give up his life. He wondered what it was like to be controlled, but he still didn’t _really_ want answers to those questions.

But then- there were other puppeteers. Like the man that had been further in the alley, against the wall, smoking. 

Tokiya had taken the route along this alley every day for a year, and this wasn’t the first time he had seen the man against the wall- which was how _Tokiya_ had already known that he would be here, and the other puppeteer after him had no idea until the man stepped out, dropping the smoke and grinding it beneath his heel. 

But Tokiya doesn’t expect the man to grab him. Before Tokiya can even comprehend what’s going on- to hope for help or to wonder if the man would leave him, the man is approaching him. The first puppeteer after him stills with narrowed eyes. 

The puppeteers have a power dynamic of their own, and the man that is now wrapping his arms around Tokiya’s waist. The man doesn’t leave- like a dog, hoping for scraps. 

This puppeteer, with his hands settled on Tokiya’s waist to pull him against his chest instead of the wall, reminds Tokiya of a wolf. 

A wolf in sheep’s clothing. 

Unfortunately, Tokiya is the sheep. He knows he isn’t going to be saved. He won’t be leaving this situation unscathed. 

The man behind him chuckles, a low, smooth tone, but when he speaks, his voice sends chills down Tokiya’s spine. 

“Now, now, Shichiro.” His voice is dangerous, clearly speaking to the man that had been targeting Tokiya. “I’ve had my eyes on this lost little lamb for months now- you weren’t planning on taking him in _my_ territory, were you?”

The man, Shichiro, scowls. “He’s unmarked. He ain’t yours.”

The man behind him begins to run his hand over Tokiya’s hip and onto his stomach, lifting up to Tokiya’s chest. He goes so far as to unbutton the top two buttons on Tokiya’s button-up, moving his hand onto the skin of Tokiya’s chest. Tokiya is frozen. 

Terrified. 

“Ah, ah.” The man mouths at Tokiya’s neck, dry kisses down to where his shoulder and neck meet. “My territory.” He scolds. “My prey. You should know better than to mark anyone near here. And for _that-_ ” The man’s hand leaves Tokiya’s chest, and he turns Tokiya’s chin. Tokiya’s wide eyes are captivated by the man’s sapphire blue eyes. They’re captivating. “Sit tight, my dear. I’ll take care of you in just a moment.” The man’s voice is a purr, much less intimidating than the tone he had just been using. Tokiya is moved behind the man, and while he does take this chance to look for an out, there is none- not without pushing past Shichiro and the man that had just held him. 

Tokiya can’t even begin to bring himself to process that. 

So all Tokiya can do is press into the corner and hope that the shadows will swallow him whole. The man approaches Shichiro, and Shichiro does take a step back, but the man has already grabbed his arm. The man’s slender, tan index finger traces from the inside of the man’s wrist to the inside of his elbow and it creates an elaborate marking- even from a distance Tokiya can see the orange glow from the mark that looks almost like it has been _carved_ into the man’s skin. 

Tokiya is afraid when he hears the man scream- when he sees the way the man falls, clutching his arm. Tokiya holds his arms to his chest. He can feel himself shaking. 

Tokiya doesn’t learn for a very long time that puppeteers can mark other puppeteers- puppeteers can _mark_ anyone, but they can only control puppets. This mark was a reminder. A threat. 

But Tokiya is terrified that when the man marks him, it’s going to hurt in the same way that this man’s mark was hurting him, and Tokiya didn’t want that. He was scared of the pain. 

The man doesn’t move from his spot until Shichiro has fled, and when he turns around, he’s far too calm. 

Tokiya falls to his knees, bowing his head. He’s trembling. Tokiya was a man with a lot of pride, but to avoid the pain he couldn’t even _imagine_ \- he would beg. 

“Please don’t hurt me.” 

Tokiya flinches when the man’s hand lays itself on Tokiya’s head, but he simply threads his fingers through Tokiya’s hair and gently pets through it. When he speaks, his voice is a coo. “Stand up for me, darling. I won’t hurt you.”

Tokiya does, but his legs shake so hard that it’s almost a miracle. 

He had never heard good things about puppets after they’ve been claimed. Many are mistreated, many lose _all_ of their autonomy- and the ones that like it don’t tend to just _like_ it. Tokiya had seen dull eyed puppets, chasing after their master’s heels like puppies. Tokiya had hoped to have a life, and it was gone now. 

“But that man-”

“Was trying to take what was mine.” The man’s tanned hands cradle Tokiya’s face. It is gentler than Tokiya would expect. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

The man’s orange hair is pulled back from his face, though in all of the excitement, a few strands have fallen out of his loose bun, framing his face- and between his tanned skin and his bright eyes and his soothing voice and his soft, sunset hair he looks _warm_. It doesn’t help much in alleviating Tokiya’s fear. 

“Tell me your name, my little lamb.”

The man’s fingers slide across Tokiya’s cheek, along his cheekbone, and it gets him off of his game enough to slip up and answer. “Tokiya.”

“Tokiya.” The man sighs, letting Tokiya’s name roll off of his tongue. “I like it. I am Ren- your new master.”

“Please.” Tokiya’s voice trembles, his eyes too wide. “I… I don’t have much, but I’ll give you anything. Please let me leave.”

Ren sighs, but he doesn’t let go of Tokiya’s face- his body still blocks Tokiya’s, against the wall. “I’m afraid that you’re already mine. And all letting you leave now would do is give someone else the chance to take what doesn’t belong to them.”

Ren’s fingers finally leave Tokiya’s face, but he uses his newly freed hands to unbutton Tokiya’s shirt even further. His head drops, kissing at Tokiya’s collarbone. Tokiya doesn’t mean to let his head fall back, but he does. He stares at the sky. It’s not quite evening yet- the color of the sky reminds him of the color of Ren’s hair. He whimpers, when he feels Ren’s fingers trail over his chest, just below his collarbone and he feels warmth spread through the area, just shy of uncomfortable. 

And then Ren’s hand curls itself in Tokiya’s hair to lead him into a kiss, and Tokiya melts into it. Tokiya can feel the same warmth still radiating from his chest where Ren must have marked him, and it spreads through his body. When Ren pulls away, there’s a smug expression as Tokiya tries to follow him. 

“And now, my lost lamb, you will be coming with me.”

Tokiya doesn’t like the feeling that floods through him, but Ren pulls away from him, Tokiya follows. He doesn’t think he wants to, but he has no choice in the matter. Ren wraps his arm around Tokiya’s stiff body, but Tokiya knows where he needs to go. He doesn’t need to give his body directions because it’s ignoring any direction Tokiya _tries_ to give it.

Tokiya is led to a mansion, but that doesn’t surprise him. Most puppeteers had a large home, because most of their conquests lived with them. 

Tokiya sees others in Ren’s house- most of them women, lounging around in very little clothing. There’s a group of them, spread out on the couch- and in some mock of reality, Tokiya is reminded of a playboy magazine, especially with the “come hither” looks many of them are sending Ren. There are a few men, but there are far less. Tokiya notices that not all of them seem _happy_ to be there, but he’s very clearly the most miserable in the room. 

“I want to work on your mark.” Ren mumbles, his hand sliding lower, onto Tokiya’s arm as soon as the door is closed behind him. He pulls Tokiya closer, against his chest again. His chin lands on Tokiya’s shoulder. 

“What does that mean?” Tokiya tries to keep his voice steady. 

“An alley wasn’t the right place to mark you the way I wanted to.” One of Ren’s hands lands on Tokiya’s hip, and the other hand raises so that Ren can brush his fingers over Tokiya’s mark. “It’s not anywhere near done.”

“What?” There is some fear in his voice now. 

Ren is quick to hush him, his voice soothing. “Now, now- you’re alright. It isn’t going to hurt. I promise you that I’ll make it feel good, Toki~”

Tokiya isn’t used to nicknames, but his body still feels too stiff. Ren doesn’t order him, when he leads him further in the house. Tokiya notices hands, brushing against Ren. He hears a woman’s voice. 

“Can I take your jacket, master?”

“Not now, doll.” Tokiya notices that the nickname isn’t exactly _overly_ fond, but not nearly as demeaning as he’d expect. Ren and Tokiya are followed until Ren opens the door and ushers Tokiya in. 

It’s very clear that this room is Ren’s bedroom. Tokiya looks around, and Ren seems to figure out what he’s looking for. 

“There’s no one else in here.” Ren is almost leaning on Tokiya. “I don’t let puppets into my room.”

“Then why-?”

“Because you, lost little lamb, are special.”

“You can’t know that.” Tokiya can at least regain himself enough to snap that. It only makes Ren smile. “Ah, but I know so. I’ve never wanted anyone as badly as I’ve wanted you. I’ve been keeping an eye on you for almost a year. I know that you’re a student at the local college and you get out of your classes at five. You take the same route home every day at five and you live in the apartment complex five minutes away from the alley I caught you in tonight.”

“Have you been _stalking_ me?”

Ren hums. “You could call it that. But I’ve stopped more than just Shichiro from taking you. The others just hadn’t been as obvious about it.”

“Why me?”

“You’re cute.” Ren’s grip switches, to something less… _seducing_ and more affectionate, almost cuddling him. “And you weren’t going to be unclaimed for long. Very few puppets are. I knew I wanted you from the moment I landed eyes on you- ordering a salad when your friends brought you to a barbeque restaurant.” 

Tokiya had no idea how long ago that could have been- it had been some time since he had last went out with friends as his workload had increased. 

“I’m going to take very good care of you.” Ren promises, nuzzling his nose into the edge of Tokiya’s jaw. “You’re not going to want for anything. It’s all so new to you now, but that will change.”

“I’m not a pet. Stop treating me like I’m special- I’m fully aware I mean nothing to you.” Tokiya’s hands tighten into fists. “I’m fully aware of what happens to puppets when they’re claimed. I find it unbelievable that you haven’t treated me the same way you’ve treated all of the puppets in your living room and you’re just telling me that you’re treating me differently.”

“Let me finish your mark, and then I have something to show you.” Ren mumbles against Tokiya’s neck. Ren’s hands begin unbuttoning Tokiya’s shirt. “Relax.”

Tokiya finds his body relaxing, though Tokiya isn’t willing at all. Ren’s lips stay on Tokiya’s neck. 

“Tell me how you feel when I touch you.” Ren’s voice is too smug. He knows what Tokiya is going to say- he’s making Tokiya say it so that Tokiya knows. Because Tokiya’s answer comes automatically. 

“It’s strange but it’s nice.” Tokiya would imagine that his voice would come out empty- but it’s worse- because the emotion in his voice is just as honest as his words. It’s almost… needy. Tokiya had experienced physical affection before, but it had been some time and this man was unfairly good at it. It didn't help that Tokiya had always been a hopeless romantic. “I liked when you kissed me.”

Ren hums. “Why are you so upset that I’ve taken you as mine? Am I not treating you nicely?”

“I haven’t done enough.” Tokiya’s voice is sorrowful, but it’s another unwilling answer. “I wanted to get married and get a job and live happily and now I’m going to miss all of it. And just because you’re acting nice now doesn’t mean that you’re not going to change. I don’t want to be like the girl you brushed off coming into this room. I don’t believe you for a second that I’m nothing more than any other of your conquests.” Tokiya is unable to slap his hand over his mouth until he’s done speaking, but he covers his face with both of his hands when he’s done, frustrated tears brimming in his eyes. “Please stop forcing me to answer.”

“You don’t like it?”

“You did it again.” Tokiya winces when his voice is almost a whimper and his hands move away from his mouth without his consent. “This situation is already bad enough without you forcing me bare in every sense of the word.”

Tokiya’s shirt was completely open already at this point. 

“It’s going to be alright.” Ren assures. Despite Tokiya’s words, Ren still slides Tokiya’s shirt off of his arms. “I’ll make you forget about it.” Ren’s lips drop to Tokiya’s shoulder. “And you may not believe me now, but I’ll make you. You’ll believe me soon. Climb on the bed, Toki. I want you to lie on your back, right in the middle.”

Tokiya can’t stop himself, but he feels his stomach flipping. He climbs onto the bed, not quite as stiffly as he would have expected himself to, and he lays down flat on his back, directly in the middle of the bed. Ren’s sheets are silk and his bed might be the most comfortable bed that Tokiya had ever lied in, but his nerves are still there. 

“What do you want, Toki?”

“To go back to normal.” Tokiya’s response comes slowly- because it is the truth, but it isn’t all of it. “...And for you to kiss me.”

Ren chuckles, and he sheds his own shirt before he climbs onto the bed. Ren’s shirt had already been nearly half-unbuttoned and it wasn’t a difficult task to remove it completely. Ren straddles Tokiya’s lap, and when he runs his hand through his hair, he knocks the hair band loose, letting his hair fall around his shoulders. 

Tokiya felt in his heart that Ren was a demon, but damn did he look like an angel.

“I can help with that last one.” Ren purrs, lowering himself until his lips meet Tokiya’s. The feeling is intoxicating, and Tokiya finds himself leaning in. Ren pulls back, just enough to mumble against Tokiya’s lips. “You can touch me.”

When Tokiya’s hands find Ren’s shoulders to pull him back down, it takes him a very long moment to realize that it isn’t Ren’s instructions that gets Tokiya’s hands on him. 

And then, Tokiya stills. Ren pulls back, with an inquisitive hum. “What are you thinking about?”

This one, however, is an order. “How many people do you call ‘lamb’?”

Ren’s eyebrows raise, but his chuckle is a bit dark. “Not very many.”

“So there’s more.” Tokiya can no longer tell why he’s still speaking- he isn’t sure if it’s Ren, or if his nerves have just finally been worn down enough. 

“Some. Would you prefer something more personal?” Ren presses. 

“Yes.” Tokiya says it in a breath, but his face is red. He finds that he can’t turn his head. 

“Hmm… Then how about I deem you my marionette? Out of every name I’ve called anyone- that hasn’t been one of them.”

There are a few conflicting emotions that arise in Tokiya in the name, but in his desperation, in the way his head is spinning from the kiss and the way that he just wants Ren’s lips back on his… “Okay.”

“Good boy.” Ren smirks, finally rewarding Tokiya by moving back into the kiss. Tokiya’s hands hold tightly to Ren’s shoulders. When Ren pulls away the next time, he pulls away too far. “Don’t look at me like that, baby doll.” Ren’s hand lifts so that he can brush his fingers along the underside of Tokiya’s jaw. “I told you I’d make you feel good and I will.”

Tokiya just watches Ren when Ren returns to a sitting position. Tokiya’s arms are very slow to fall back to the bed. Ren’s fingers find Tokiya’s chest. 

Tokiya lets out a noise that’s almost a whimper when Ren’s fingertips trail over Tokiya’s skin. It wasn’t that it hurt, or that it felt bad- but there was too much going on. Tokiya was sad, and scared- he wanted to be at his home, in his own bed. But it did feel good, and more than anything, it felt like too much. There was so much going on. 

The warmth just under Tokiya’s collarbone feels warm again, but the feeling is very slowly beginning to spread down his chest. It takes some time until his fingers move to Tokiya’s side, but when Ren reaches the bottom of Tokiya’s ribcage, Tokiya’s entire chest feels like it’s lit up and his breathing is coming unsteady, his eyes closing of their own accord. Just when Tokiya believes that Ren is done, Ren’s hand finds Tokiya’s shoulder and the feelings begin again. Ren’s fingers trail over all of the skin from Tokiya’s shoulder to the bottom of his bicep, inside and out. 

Ren’s other hand trails over the untouched part of Tokiya’s chest, taking some time to run the pad of his thumb over Tokiya’s nipple, giving an amused sigh when Tokiya shudders. It’s warm, but it’s not the same kind of warmth as when Ren was marking him, and Tokiya opens his eyes to affirm that Ren is only touching. He can’t see all of the marking, but he can definitely tell that it’s much further than it had been before. 

Ren is slow to fully pull away. When he finally does, he kisses Tokiya again, and the desperation that had been growing in Tokiya under Ren’s touch is worse now. Tokiya doesn’t need to be invited to touch Ren this time, clinging onto Ren. Ren’s hands runs over Tokiya’s chest, almost possessively. 

Tokiya feels like he’s Ren’s new toy. He wants that to hurt him. He wants to be angry and upset, but when Ren’s lips are on his, he can’t feel anything negative. 

Ren finally pulls away completely, turning so that he can sit besides Tokiya on the bed. Ren lays back, and he looks up, and Tokiya’s eyes follow. Tokiya hadn’t completely missed the mirror above Ren’s bed, but his attention had been elsewhere- primarily on Ren’s face. But now that he’s actually looking, he can really see the marking. Where Ren had touched him in the alley was a very decorative _R_. But the design far extended that- while the ‘R’ was certainly the standout design, along it were decorative roses, and hearts- flowers and the like. They weren’t gruesome, like the one Ren gave to Shichiro- they nearly looked like tattoos. Inked, rather than gouged. Tokiya’s hand lifts, feeling over it, but the skin beneath is smooth. Ren turns on his side, his hand moving to Tokiya’s chest, over the ‘R’. 

“Come with me. Leave your shirt off.”

Tokiya is nervous, when Ren speaks. He doesn’t want to leave this room shirtless, but his body gives him no option. Ren, when he’s in the living room with Tokiya, puts his index finger and thumb in his mouth and gives a loud whistle. 

The men and women in the room line up as Ren wraps his arm around Tokiya’s shoulders. There are about thirteen women and three men in the room, wrapping around it in a semi-circle. 

“I want all of you to show your marks.”

They all move, not quite in sync. Some women lift what little they’re wearing, to show marks higher up on their thigh- inside or outside. Some are more straightforward, on arms and wrists. 

“Go look at them, Toki. Tell me what you notice.”

Tokiya does, his body moving a bit stiffly. There is something he notices, only a few in, but he still walks down the line, whether he’d like to or not. 

“You can all relax.” Those in the line do, letting their clothing drop or lifting it back up. “What did you notice, my marionette?”

“...They’re all much smaller than mine.” Tokiya says quietly. “They’re all the same, too.”

Ren pets through Tokiya’s hair, almost affectionately. “Exactly. Your mark, mi amour, is special. Each puppeteer has a very special mark that is nearly mindless to give. But you have something very special-” Ren’s hand runs from Tokiya’s marked shoulder to his bicep. “Because this design took quite a lot of effort. It’s far more intricate and complicated than my normal markings- and I have no other puppet with anything like it.”

Tokiya finds himself believing it, because quite a few of the puppets were looking at Tokiya with a very clearly jealous expression. 

“You, my marionette-” Ren’s arms wrap around Tokiya’s waist, pulling him into his bare chest. “Are very special.”

“Are you just trying to get into my pants? Couldn’t you just force me?” Tokiya’s voice is colder than he could hope for it to be. Ren’s getting looks from his puppets now- they must be wondering why Ren would give attention to someone fighting him, like Tokiya, when there were so many of them craving Ren’s attention. “Why are you so insistent that I believe you think I’m special?”

“I don’t want to force you.” Ren says simply. “I want you to give yourself to me.”

“So that’s why I’m _’special’_.” Tokiya says flatly. “I won’t be. Once I agree to sleep with you.”

“That’s not what I said.” Ren’s chin rests on Tokiya’s shoulder. “Honestly, if you weren’t special, I’d be leading you into the room you’d be sharing with a few of the others and fucking you into the mattress until you were incapable of saying anything but my name and you wouldn’t be able to stop me. You’d stay as my lost little lamb, and your small marking would have been more than enough. Every puppeteer has that one puppet they find and that puppet is what really gets them off.” Ren’s head lifts, to gently tug at Tokiya’s earlobe with his teeth before moving up to nibble at the shell of Tokiya’s ear. Ren’s warm breath behind Tokiya’s ear makes him shudder. “You are going to be my prized possession, Tokiya. My crown jewel. And that’s a title that will keep you from just being thrown away.”

“Stop.” Tokiya says weakly. “Stop lying to me, please.”

“Tokiya.” Ren’s voice is soft. It’s a switch, again, one that makes Tokiya’s head spin. It’s enough to give him whiplash, when Ren’s arms wrap around Tokiya, cuddling him. Tokiya almost forgets that the rest of Ren’s puppets are still watching them, many jealous. “You’re mine. And no matter how I view you that won’t change. You’re always going to be mine. I don’t plan to change my plans for you, either.”

Tokiya gets quiet, but Ren’s hand runs over Tokiya’s stomach. “Are you hungry?”

Tokiya shakes his head, no, but Ren doesn’t force him. “Then let’s go back into my bedroom.”

“I thought you didn’t let puppets in there.” Tokiya mumbles, his voice a bit empty. 

“And I thought I had already told you that you’re special.” Ren’s voice is surprisingly calm. “You’ll be staying in my room.”

If Tokiya had thought that some of the puppets had looked jealous before, he can’t even think of a word to describe _most_ of their expressions now. Ren simply pulls Tokiya with him as he heads forward, and the puppets move out of his way. Tokiya wonders if all of Ren’s orders have to be audible- he guesses he’ll find out. 

“Strip down to your underwear and get into the bed.”

Tokiya’s nervousness manages to show through in his expression, but he finds himself shedding his clothes until he’s left nearly naked. He gets onto the bed, though he pulls his legs up to his chest when he settles. 

“Legs out straight. I’m going to keep working on your mark.”

“There’s… more?” Tokiya questions as he straightens his legs out. 

“I plan to leave you mostly marked.” Ren says simply. He’s gotten out of the rest of his own clothes as he approaches Tokiya, and then he lifts Tokiya’s legs so that he can sit underneath them and lay Tokiya’s legs across his lap, his hands moving onto Tokiya’s calves. Tokiya is leaning against the headboard, and when Ren’s fingers trace over Tokiya’s skin and the heat begins to flood in Tokiya’s leg, Tokiya actually gets to see the patterns. It’s not perfect, because Ren only traces the vague shape of what begins to form with a faint orange glow, but the focus that Ren has on Tokiya’s leg shows that there is some thought going into it. 

“...It really hurt that other man.” Tokiya’s voice is uncertain. 

“Puppeteers aren’t meant to be marked. But he knew what would happen- trying to change someone on my territory. And I had made it very clear for some time that _I_ had my eye on you.” Ren’s eyes don’t leave Tokiya’s leg. His tone is almost conversational. “You had become a challenge. I was going to wait until you were done with school.”

“Why? Why would that matter to you?”

“You won’t be going back for some time. But had you finished your schooling- if you could handle both, I may have been able to let you get a part-time job in your field at some point. Unfortunately, that’s not how things turned out.”

“That… I… I guess what I was really trying to ask is why it doesn’t hurt when you mark me.”

“I don’t want it to hurt.” Ren’s voice softens, and he pauses on Tokiya’s leg, his free hand traveling up the inside of Tokiya’s thigh, stopping just shy of the edge of Tokiya’s underwear. Tokiya’s breathing stills completely until Ren’s hand returns to his calf to return to the partially finished mark. “I can’t make it clear enough, Toki, but I’m trying to treat you well.”

“And when you get what you want?” Tokiya asks weakly. 

“Well, what I want is for you to start serving me on your own. But it isn’t as if I’m going to stop treating you well, because I’d like you to _keep_ serving me by yourself. How I am now is how I always am.” Ren manages a grin, his eyes flickering away from Tokiya’s leg for just a moment, to shoot Tokiya a wink. “I’m just as charming and thoughtful on a day to day basis.”

Tokiya gives him a blank stare that gets a laugh from Ren. 

“I’m still not fooled.” Tokiya mumbles, closing his eyes. “Because we were taught this. That puppets stop being human when they’re claimed, and that puppeteers have no real reason to treat puppets as… well, anything but a toy.”

“I wouldn’t call that a general rule of thumb.” Ren says, and for the first time tonight, he sounds a bit displeased. “That’s up to the puppeteer. I work on a reward system.”

“So there’s a punishment system behind it?”

“That isn’t what I said. Unless, of course, that’s what you’re into.” Tokiya doesn’t need to open his eyes. He thinks that Ren is grinning. He must be, with his smug tone. Ren laughs before he continues. “I try my best to be patient with new puppets- and my darling, I plan to go as slow with you as you need. In the carrot and stick method, I’m not as into the stick. In fact- when a year has passed, I allow my marked to go off on their own. To leave the nest, if you will.”

“...Really?” Tokiya’s eyes open. 

“Really. Of course, very few of them ever end up leaving.”

“But let me guess.” Tokiya’s voice is dry. “Because I’m special, I won’t be getting that option.”

“Of course you’ll get the option. But even now- I’m fairly certain that you won’t be taking it.”

“I don’t think you should sound so… sure.”

“Oh? You don’t think so?” Ren smiles. “Because I plan on showing you a _very_ good year, Toki.”

That night, Ren finishes marking one of Tokiya’s legs completely up to his knee. He doesn’t put any markings on Tokiya’s foot, but he had assured Tokiya that the markings wouldn’t pass his collar and wouldn’t go further than his wrists and ankles. Of course, that assurance had only come after he had forced Tokiya to answer his feelings on the markings. 

_I don’t really mind them, but I’ve always strongly felt that true full body tattoos were… creepy. I don’t like anything on the face, or the hands._

Ren had went to go lay down on his side of the bed, but he had caught Tokiya’s uneasy expression. He hums, turning on his side. “Tell me what that face is for.”

“...You didn’t kiss me.” Tokiya goes red at the unwilling confession. He wants to turn his head, but he can’t. “Like you did after the others.”

Ren grins at the admission. “I’m sorry, baby.” Ren’s hand slides up Tokiya’s stomach, to his chest, and then Ren leans in to press a slow, long kiss to Tokiya’s lips. Tokiya tries to follow when Ren pulls back, and Ren entertains him with one more. 

“Is that better?” 

Tokiya’s blush hasn’t died down, but Ren seems to accept his silence as some sort of answer. 

“You’re sweet.” Ren says, his voice almost fond. “It’s been some time since I’ve had any newbie quite like you, my marionette.” 

Over the next week, Ren remains the same on Tokiya- doting and infuriating at the same time. If Tokiya’s face reveals the hint of anything, Ren will pry it out. Tokiya had done far more speaking than he would have liked to, but Ren hadn’t given him any other option. Every night, Ren brings Tokiya back to his room and they sleep in the same bed. 

Tokiya’s legs have both been marked up from his ankle to just below his underwear, but Ren takes a break after finishing his legs. Tokiya thinks it’s strange, to see his usually clear skin marked up, but as an artist himself, he can’t bring himself to hate the designs. After all- they are rather pretty. And as much as he hates to admit it, it seems like they really might be unique, and that turns Tokiya towards them. 

It only takes until the end of the week until Tokiya has (somewhat unwillingly) softened up to Ren. It’s not long after that that Tokiya lets Ren sleep with him. 

True to Ren’s word, there were no direct orders during the act- beyond the initial question. 

They had gotten in the habit of Ren hovering over Tokiya, feeling him up and kissing him until he asked the same question, without fail, every night. 

_”Do you want me to keep going?”_

For the first seven nights, he says no. 

On the eight, Ren gets his first yes. It had gotten a grin on Ren’s face, but he certainly wasn’t one to disappoint. 

Tokiya thinks that Ren’s other orders may have influenced how easily Tokiya gave in. There was something that wasn’t quite right- because Tokiya couldn’t muster up the same fear or anger he felt on the first night, even though he knew he should have it. 

Perhaps a puppeteer that _was_ cruel to him would have been better. Ren’s careful manipulation worked too well on Tokiya- it made him too weak, too quickly. 

To Ren, Tokiya was sure, this was a win. Especially the first night he chose to sleep with him. 

And the next night. And the night after that. 

But every night, Ren still asked the question. 

_”Do you want me to keep going?”_

That question may be one of the few that kept Tokiya sane. Because he may have been forced to answer it- but he was forced to answer it _honestly_. And he knew that if he said no, Ren would get off of him, and they would sleep. And maybe it was the knowledge that he could take Tokiya anyways that made Ren’s version of consent count to Tokiya. 

A small reassurance. 

Whether Tokiya wanted it or not- his body belonged to Ren. He held some appreciation that Ren still left him with some respect. 

Ren doesn’t go out very often, while he’s virtually training Tokiya. Tokiya wonders if it may because he only has a year- because another question Ren asks him is how likely it that Tokiya will leave. 

_”If our year were today, my marionette, would you leave me?”_

_“Yes.”_

That questions wasn’t asked as often as Ren’s consent question was, but Ren had been honest. Tokiya was never punished, even though it was clear that Ren wished his answer were different. But Ren did have to start going to check on his territory, though the knowledge that Tokiya would be left alone in the house with the other puppets had left him with a look of very thinly veiled anxiety. 

Ren’s hand finds Tokiya’s cheek, cradling the side of his face. “And what is that look for, baby doll?”

“They’ll rip me apart.” Tokiya’s voice can’t hide his growing fear. “The others in this house. The looks they give me so openly with you by my side… I won’t survive the night.”

“It is a well known order that no one is to touch you.” Ren kisses Tokiya’s forehead. “When I told you that _you_ were my greatest treasure, I certainly wasn’t kidding. I may not usually deal punishment, Toki, but they’re all very aware that if anything were to happen to you that there _would_ be hell to pay. But if you really are that worried, my room is yours, too. If you’d feel better to stay in here, no one in this house would or _could_ enter my room without my express permission- permission I’ve never given to anyone that wasn’t you.” At this point, Tokiya knew he wasn’t kidding. He had been here for weeks, but he and Ren were the only ones that ever entered this room. Ren hadn’t even seemed to enter the rooms of any of the others- though Tokiya wondered if that may be because he and Tokiya slept together nearly every night. He wondered if that would change. That thought doesn’t cross his face well enough for Ren to feel the need to ask about it. 

“I… think I’ll just be staying in your room.”

“That’s fine. If that’s what will make you feel safe, then I’d encourage it.”

When Ren leaves, Tokiya chooses to lock Ren’s door and stay in the room. He really hadn’t changed much- he hadn’t been here long enough, nor did he feel the right to. 

Without Ren here, however, his thoughts do begin to race, and he can’t even focus on the book in his hands. Usually when Ren was in the room with him, he had his hands on Tokiya in some way. Tokiya can’t remember the last time he had managed to stay fully clothed in Ren’s room for as long as he had been tonight. But Ren kept Tokiya locked in the mansion. Tokiya imagined he’d be stuck here for at least a year. He wondered if he may even forget about it. After all, until tonight, he hadn’t really felt stir-crazy. But without Ren breathing down his throat, Tokiya missed his everyday life.

His apartment and his things and even his school… they weren’t his anymore. Teachers and landlords wouldn’t know for sure that Tokiya was a puppet, but they knew for sure that he wasn’t a puppeteer. And that meant that his disappearance would be chalked up to Tokiya being claimed. No missing person reports would be filed for him. Those were only for puppeteers. Tokiya’s stuff would be put away, and after some time would be sold. His apartment is gone, his spot in school replaced. He may have gotten one or two messages, but his cellphone had died some time ago and Ren had never given him a charger for it. 

Of course, Tokiya’s friends weren’t very close friends, he hasn't spoken to his ex in quite some time, and Tokiya likely wouldn’t have contacted any of them anyways. Especially not about this. But Tokiya knew that Ren wouldn’t let him charge his phone because Ren wanted Tokiya’s attention on _him_. 

But Tokiya was growing to want Ren’s attention on him, too, and it scared Tokiya. He still cursed himself. He hated that he had to be born a puppet- though he wouldn’t want to be a puppeteer either. He wishes he had just been human, as he had hoped he was up until Shichiro had nearly marked him, before Ren stole him from right under Shichiro’s nose, basically.

Tokiya’s book falls to the ground when he hears _screaming_. It sounds like one of the girls- and it _terrifies_ Tokiya. The last time he had heard a scream like that was from Shichiro, when Ren had marked him in the alley. 

More screams follow- and Tokiya feels like a coward, hiding in the room, but he’s unarmed, confused, and honestly afraid. Ren was nowhere to be found, and if Tokiya were to end up hurting _anyone_ , he’d end up being jailed. Self-defense or not. 

Not that it matters, because when the screaming finally ends, the door to Ren’s room is forced open with a solid kick to the lock. Tokiya backs up, and his eyes widen in genuine fear when he recognizes the man _as_ Shichiro. 

Tokiya tries to make himself smaller, but he’s reminded of the first night he had met Shichiro. Shichiro is grinning. 

“‘Bout time I found you.”

The man doesn’t hesitate this time, in approaching Tokiya. 

“Goddamn he drew all over you.” The man rolls his eyes, ignoring the fact that Tokiya is shaking. 

This is when Tokiya notices the second woman behind him, but he doesn’t know who she is. He’s never seen her before, but it’s clear that she’s a puppeteer. “Find his main mark.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Jinguji’s got such a gaudy one it’ll be real easy.”

The man rips Tokiya’s shirt open down the middle, and Tokiya tries to curl in on himself but it doesn’t do much. 

“Hurry up.” The woman says impatiently. “He knows every bond we’re breaking, and he’s really going to know when you remark this one.”

“I know what I’m doing, Misa.” The man shoves his hand over Tokiya’s chest- and Tokiya is met with a blinding pain that leaves him incapable of staying quiet, his knees giving out under him. “Your turn.”

“Wasn’t the point of this for _your_ mark to be on top?” Misa rolls her eyes, but she steps closer. 

“I’ll just mark him over again.”

Tokiya already has tears in his eyes, but he’s shaking his head frantically, in too much pain to even plead. The woman places her hand over the same spot, and the pain is worsened further- at least twice as bad. When Shichiro does it again after her, he’d say it triples. He’s left, face down on the floor, writhing in pain, trying to curl in himself, sobbing and shrieking, nearly in hysterics. The pain felt as if it were flooding his entire body. He hears the front door _slam_ open. 

Misa gives Shichiro a sharp look. “I’m giving you up first. This was _your_ stupid idea.”

“You remarked half of his group! You’re in this as much as I am. You can even still see your mark on him.” Shichiro motions. 

Misa’s eyes glance towards the door. “He’s coming straight in here.” She hisses.

“Wait, I’ve got an idea. Hey- puppet. Get up.” 

Tokiya is still crying as his body forces itself up, swaying heavily in his pain. His face is a mess, he’s sure, and he can barely stay upright. “Go stop him.”

Tokiya wants to shake his head. He wants to force himself to stop moving, but he can’t. He stumbles past them, towards the door, just as Ren gets there. And he manages to reach out to place his hands against Ren’s chest. 

Ren had looked absolutely livid, walking up to the door. He was shaking with rage, and he almost misses Tokiya in his path to get to the two puppeteers behind him. 

But Ren’s eyes fixate on the horrible, twisted, scarred marks over his own on Tokiya’s chest, and his expression only worsens. Tokiya can barely imagine how Ren’s face would twist under true rage- and that’s as he’s looking at it. Tokiya needs a stronger word for rage to describe Ren right now. 

“Get out of the way, Toki.” Ren growls. It hurts, listening to Ren’s order, but he’s still forced to- and it’s a relief. As soon as Tokiya has gotten out of Ren’s way, he slumps, falling down. It wasn’t his own strength that was keeping his body up. He can only guess that he was able to follow Ren’s orders because most of his marks remained over his body. 

Tokiya closes his eyes. He doesn’t see what happens to the two, but he hears yelling, but only for a moment. He thinks that Ren drags them out. When Tokiya opens his eyes, he’s alone in the room, so Ren must have. Tokiya slumps against the wall, and he lets himself fall into a sort of unconsciousness, though the pain permeates through it. 

He wakes up to more pain. When he opens his eyes, panicked, he’s in the bed, completely undressed, and Ren’s face is above him, Ren’s hand pressed to his chest. Ren’s rage is gone, but there’s a grim seriousness in his expression. He doesn’t pull back his hand until he’s done with leaving a fifth mark on the same spot on Tokiya’s chest. The pain doesn’t alleviate. 

Tokiya lets out a pained sob, and Ren’s hand moves to cradle Tokiya’s face. He leans down to kiss Tokiya, and when Tokiya realizes that it’s helping his pain, he grabs onto Ren, the kiss becoming desperate. Ren leans over the bed, to press his forearm down, to let Tokiya hold him in the kiss. It’s a long moment before Tokiya finally lets Ren pull out of the kiss, but he doesn’t let Ren go until Ren makes him. “Relax, baby.”

Tokiya does, but it was an order. His arms fall to the bed of their own accord, but listening to Ren’s order no longer hurt. 

“I’m sorry, Toki. This shouldn’t have ever happened. But it won’t be happening again.”

“What happened to everyone else?” Tokiya asks hoarsely. 

“They’re still here. They’ve asked me to remark them, and I will once you’re taken care of. But before I do anything else- I’m finishing what I’ve been working on. I’ll be marking all of you tonight, baby doll.”

“I… what if someone else takes advantage of that?” Tokiya’s chest constricts in fear. 

“They were cruel. They wanted to cover the mark that specifically made you mine, but if any puppeteer marks you, even on an unmarked area, it’s going to hurt in the same way. It’s a loyalty thing, my marionette. Most puppeteers have respect for marks, especially if a puppet has a lot of them. And it’s for my peace of mind. I want to see you marked.” 

Tokiya doesn’t speak- but he doesn’t stop Ren, when Ren starts on his stomach. 

They’re there for quite some time that night, but true to Ren’s word, he finishes what he had started weeks ago, and most of Tokiya is covered. When Ren is done, he lays in the bed next to Tokiya, and he pulls Tokiya closer. 

“If our year were today, my marionette, would you stay?”

Tokiya’s answer comes a bit slower, perhaps by the surprise of the rephrasing- but perhaps more so by the fact that an answer hadn’t been demanded. At least not yet. 

When Tokiya answers- he doesn’t think he’s lying. “Yes.”

Ren’s next question, however, is a demand. 

“Are you okay, baby doll?”

“No.” Tokiya’s answer comes too quickly. He can’t stop from answering Ren, but he can bury his head into Ren’s chest, to hide his face. Ren is still dressed right now. 

“Look at me and tell me.” Ren’s voice is gentle, and Tokiya finds his head tilting up against his will. 

“It hurt.” Tokiya’s fingers curl in Ren’s shirt. It’s strange, being completely bared while Ren is still dressed, but there isn’t anything he can do about it at the moment. “And I didn’t like when he controlled me.”

“And when I control you?”

Tokiya desperately wants to look down, but he can’t. Tokiya’s voice is too vulnerable. “I’d much rather it be you. ...I hate it less. Than I did before.”

When Ren repeats this question, he does command it. “If our year was today- would you leave me, my marionette?”

“I wouldn’t.”

This answer comes faster. Confident enough to make Tokiya still. But Ren kisses his face and pets through his hair and his voice is a coo. 

“I’m glad, Toki. I want you to stay. I’m going to take very, very good care of you.”

“...I still feel like a pet.”

“Then let me make you feel more like my lover.”

Ren turns them until he’s hovering over Tokiya, and Tokiya holds on tightly. 

“Do you want me to keep going?”

“Please.” Tokiya pulls Ren close enough to bury his head in the crook of Ren’s neck. Ren holds him for a long minute, but Tokiya lets him go when Ren goes to strip because Tokiya wants Ren to be out of his clothes. Ren is quick to strip down- he could sometimes make a presentation out of getting Tokiya naked, but when it came to himself, it usually was faster and Tokiya wasn’t one to complain. 

It isn’t long after Ren is inside of Tokiya when Tokiya feels tears burning his eyes and he can’t hold them back. Ren fucks him through it- but it comes with comfort at the same time. 

“Ssh, baby, it’s okay.” Ren coos. “You’re alright. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s so much.” Tokiya’s voice is a gasp. He’s holding onto Ren with anything he can- his arms, his legs, his ankles are hooked together to keep himself as close as he can. “Please don’t stop.” Tokiya begs.

“I won’t, darling. You’re going to be okay. You’re mine. Now and forever.”

“I’m yours.” Tokiya mumbles, burying his head in Ren’s neck. “I want to be. I want to be yours.”

It isn’t until after, when Ren is behind him, holding him tightly, that Tokiya really thinks about his request. He curls in smaller, not away from Ren, but still in on himself. “What’s wrong?”

“I- ...I really am different?” Tokiya’s voice breaks. 

“Tell me why you’re asking me again, baby doll.”

“I’m afraid you’ll be angry with me if I say it.” Tokiya covers his mouth, but not until the question is fully out. Ren actually seems a bit intrigued - Tokiya _hadn’t_ answered his question. But Ren goes with this line of questioning, anyways.

“Of course I won’t be.” Ren rubs Tokiya’s stomach comfortingly. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Tokiya’s hand lowers, despite how hard he’s trying to hold it in place. “I worry that you’ll bore of me. You have so many more… devoted followers. It would be so easy for you to just move on to someone else- and I don’t think I have any right to want you to myself in any kind of way, but this, so far, has been the… hardest adjustment. ...And so many of your puppets are girls…”

“Is that all?” Ren mumbles. “Come with me for a moment.” 

Tokiya gets up slowly, and Ren only puts on underwear, though Tokiya puts on pants. He’s pulled out of the room by Ren before he can put on a shirt. 

Ren brings up his index finger and his thumb to whistle. The puppets in the house gather around.

“Tomorrow, as I remark you, I’ll be finding you all new homes.”

Tokiya’s shock is palpable- and it’s just as obvious as many of the puppets. 

“But Ren-” One of the women pouts, moving closer, dragging her perfectly manicured nails down Ren’s arm. Ren looks unmoved- which only serves to surprise Tokiya further. “Why can’t we be with you?”

“I’m more than happy to keep you in my group-” Ren purrs. “But I’m afraid I’ve found the head of my pack.” The second that the girl’s hand retracts, Ren’s arm is around Tokiya’s waist, forcibly pulling him closer, into Ren’s side. 

“But what will we do?” Another girl speaks up. 

“If you ever need my help, doll, I’ll always be here.” Ren assures. “You’re all still under my protection. We just won’t be in the same house anymore. You’ll all be taken care of. And if you don’t think I can- you’re all always free to leave and do what you’d like to.”

Two people actually do leave- one man and one woman. The rest stay, flocking around Ren. 

Tokiya notices a few glances in his direction that are less than kind- but not one single person in the room says anything bad about Tokiya, unwilling to get a bad response from Ren. They do subtly try to get between Ren and Tokiya, but Ren’s grip on Tokiya’s waist is stronger than a vice and Tokiya has no hope of getting away from him, even if he tried. 

Not that he wanted to try. 

Tokiya isn’t sure that he can really convince himself that Ren cares for him- but he does care for Ren. 

Part of him, though, wants to believe that maybe Ren really did feel something. After all- he clearly wasn’t faking the rage at Misa and Shichiro, though Tokiya wasn’t the only one hurt. Tokiya knows that Ren hasn’t been sleeping with anyone but him, and he was going so far as to making them leave, all because Tokiya had felt unsure. 

Ren eventually gets them off of him. 

“That’s not for tonight.” Ren says finally- and even without the connection, they all stop pleading, going silent. “We’ll work on all of this tomorrow. But for now, you should all get some rest.”

When Ren pulls Tokiya back with him, Tokiya holds onto him tightly and lets himself be brought back into Ren’s bedroom. 

“Was… was that really for me?” 

“You are my prized treasure.” Ren is fast to turn Tokiya in his arms, to get his pants back off. “I won’t stop marking people. I’d lose my territory and my power if I lost my puppets- but if all you need to feel more secure is for them not to live with me, that’s hardly a loss at all.”

“It’s… It’s not the same.” Tokiya admits quietly. “You marking them, as opposed to them living with you. Any of the people outside would kill me in a heartbeat just for a bit of your attention.” Tokiya ducks his head, trying to hide his face. His voice gets quiet, and maybe a bit pained. “I don’t mean to be jealous-”

“I think it’s adorable.” Ren purrs. “If you want all of my attention, baby, I’ll give it to you. Anything you want.”

“Ren, I-” Tokiya’s voice is almost scared. He can actually feel his eyes filling up with tears. Ren can tell what he’s going to say before he says it, because he cuts Tokiya off during Tokiya’s pause. 

“Look at me when you say it, baby.” Ren purrs. “Tell me to my face.”

Tokiya does look up, but his eyes are still shiny. “I love you. If… If you don’t feel the same, please don’t tell me that.”

“Of course I love you.” Ren pets through Tokiya’s hair. His expression is almost a smirk. “My marionette.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS ; mind break, non-explicit sexual interactions, lots of manipulation/unhealthy relationships
> 
> i took villain ren and like ramped him up to ten this turned out darker than i thought it would be

Tokiya had been with Ren for a year and a half. He had remained the only puppet still inside of Ren’s house, which left him the entirety of the house to roam around. After Tokiya’s year had passed Ren had begun to start going out even more, leaving more frequently to continue expanding his numbers. 

Tokiya learns that Ren is a very big name as far as puppeteers go, and Ren’s life reminds Tokiya a bit of a mafia movie. In that sense, Ren was a mob boss. Not all other puppeteers were a threat to Ren or his territory but there were a few that had some power and were a threat to Ren- which meant that Ren couldn’t afford to _not_ spend quite a lot of time assuring that he was constantly getting more numbers, and expanding his territory where he can as well. 

Tokiya didn’t like it- but he’d never say anything to Ren about it. Tokiya had everything he could want for entertainment- books and movies, Ren had bought him not only a new charger but a new _phone_ (though Ren’s number was the only one programmed), and he had a laptop and drawing materials as well. Ren had gaming consoles that Tokiya was allowed to use and he had a room with several instruments and a recently added record player and an extensive library of records after Ren had learned of Tokiya’s fondness of them. But he was still lonely, spending so much time in an empty house. He could only distract himself so long before his thoughts started drifting to Ren, wishing that he were there. Tokiya was _whipped_. Ren was usually the main thing on Tokiya’s mind, and if Ren took day trips Tokiya would spend the entire day of his return waiting for him on the spot on the couch nearest to the door. 

Tokiya also worried for Ren. He could be overpowered, or attacked. Puppeteers didn’t often attack each other, to Tokiya’s knowledge, but Tokiya also remembered the puppeteer that had tried to mark him before Ren and the nasty scar Ren had left him with and was reminded that they _could_ hurt each other. Ren always answered his phone if Tokiya called him, but Tokiya didn’t call him often, even if he was worried, because he knows it distracts Ren from his work and subsequently keeps him out longer. Ren always seems entertained to see Tokiya so hung up on him, rather than irritated at how needy Tokiya feels that he can be. 

Sometimes Tokiya has moments of clarity. Moments where he realizes that he’s acting so jealous, so childlike, so desperate and unlike himself- those moments of clarity come to him sometimes when Ren isn’t around. Those are the times that Tokiya doesn’t wait for Ren at the door, choosing a far away corner of Ren’s large house to hide himself in until Ren finds him out, gets his hands on Tokiya and the clarity slips away and Tokiya’s need for Ren returns. 

But Ren is the only one Tokiya ever sees. Ren had told him a year and a half ago that Tokiya had the possibility to live a life outside of Ren’s house- to have a part time job in his field, but later Ren had admitted that that wasn’t how the cards were really going to fall. 

_”You can’t leave, Toki.” Ren gently strokes through the hair on the side of Tokiya’s head. “I need you to stay in here.” Tokiya’s expression sours, but it changes into a guilty expression quickly. This is very shortly after Tokiya’s year mark has passed. “What’s that expression for, baby?”_

_It’s a command._

_“I don’t want to speak against you.”_

_“That’s alright. I want to know what you’re thinking.”_

_“...Were you lying to me? Had I wanted to leave after a year, would you have made me stay?” Tokiya flinches when he’s done speaking, the guilty expression heavier._

_“I didn’t lie to you.” Ren doesn’t seem offended in the least at Tokiya’s truth. “In fact- if you decided now that you’d really like to leave, I’d let you. But this comes with our exclusivity. If you’d like to remain my only puppet here, darling, you can’t leave. I wouldn’t force you out of my home, should you want to work elsewhere but live here- but we couldn’t do this. I’d need others here.”_

_“I don’t understand. Why?”_

_“I draw power from my puppets. This is my home, and this is the source of my power. I still get some, of course, from every one of my marked- but not nearly as much from them as I had before they were gone. I need you here, to get the power that I need from **you**.”_

_A look of fear crosses Tokiya’s face. “So I hurt you. When you made the others leave for me.”_

_Ren cups Tokiya’s face, his voice slipping into something akin to a coo. “You didn’t, baby, you didn’t. I told you that you were special- and you **are**. I get so much more power from you- I get more power than you than I have from all of the other puppets I’ve kept combined. If keeping them out of our home makes you happy, it doesn’t hurt me at all to do it. But that’s why you need to stay here. If you leave, it **will** hurt me, if I don’t have the others. And I can’t afford to have you out, anyways, my marionette. Your marks show my claim on you, but it also lets everyone know just how special you are to me. Heaven forbid someone try to take you from me because of that.” Ren leans in brushing his nose against Tokiya’s. “But you’re safe here. And I want to keep you. As long as you stay here, I’ll always come home to you.”_

When Ren comes home next, Tokiya is sitting on the couch with no pretense of pretending he had been doing something else. He looks unwell- he’s pale, and thinner, and he’s been sat on the couch for two days now. Ren had been gone for two weeks. It was much longer than he was usually gone, but it had really taken its toll on Tokiya. 

Ren frowns, seeing Tokiya. “What did I tell you about falling behind in your self care, my love?”

“I’m sorry.” Tokiya mumbles, though there isn’t much heart in it. He wasn’t sorry he didn’t listen- he was sorry that he displeased Ren.

“You won’t be doing me any favors if you topple over, Toki.” Ren closes the door behind him and Tokiya stands on unsteady legs when Ren approaches. Ren gently pushes him back down, to crouch in front of him. “You’re unhappy.” It isn’t a question. “Tell me why.”

Tokiya hesitates, but it’s a demand and his tongue loosens quickly. “I’m lonely when you’re not here.”

Ren frowns. “I’ll have to come up with a solution for that. But for now, I won’t be leaving until I’m content with your health. Stay there. I’m going to be bringing you something to eat.”

It’s as Tokiya is eating, on Ren’s command, that Ren begins questioning him- a command as well. “Tell me about the most important people in your life, Toki. The ones you remember- or the ones you miss the most.”

“I haven’t seen my mother in years- we were never exactly close, but she is the only blood family that I have.” Tokiya speaks slowly. He can’t stop from speaking, but he is still able to prioritize Ren’s commands because Ren hadn’t put either over the other- so he takes long pauses to eat. “There’s Otoya Ittoki. We’ve been friends for years. We met in elementary school and we’ve been friends for most of our lives. He was a high school soccer star and managed to find his way into a professional team right out of school, and I went to college. We still spoke, but I haven’t seen him in some time. I had a few college friends as well, all in different majors than I was. Masato Hijirikawa is one- he was a fashion major. He wanted to become a costume designer. He was extremely talented at sketching and sewing, though we usually met up to study together for our basic classes. Reiji Kotobuki- truthfully I don’t remember his major. He was a teacher’s assistant, though I didn’t typically spend time with him away from another friend, Ai Mikaze, a computer science major. Reiji was… loud. Too excitable for my liking. He and Ai had some type of relationship. I think it may have been a puppet and puppeteer but I couldn’t tell you which one was which. The last I can think of is Ranmaru Kurosaki.”

Tokiya stops there. He focuses solely on his plate of food, and through technicality, he can stop speaking. He had given enough information. 

But Ren sticks on the only man Tokiya hadn’t described. 

“Ranmaru? Tell me more about him.”

“Are you sure?” Tokiya’s voice is strained, and it only gains more of Ren’s interest. “We… we were… _involved_.”

“And yet he’s still important to you. I’d like to hear more. Did I take you from him?”

Tokiya swallows hard but he shakes his head, no. “We were high school sweethearts. We met in my first year and his second and we stayed together until college. He had put it off for a year, so that we could go together- but when I started classes I just… I didn’t spend enough time with him. I was so focused on my studies that I neglected myself, and it made me avoid him. I was doing very well in my classes and I thought that if he knew how I was handling myself that he’d make me change it- but after so long of avoiding him he confronted me. I- I’m sorry, you didn’t ask for our break up story.”

“I’d like to hear the rest of it. I want you to tell me everything.”

So much for trying to get out of continuing. It’s a dry thought, but Tokiya has to continue. It helps that there’s _only_ interest on Ren’s face- there is no hurt, or jealousy, or anything else. Tokiya sighs. “I tried to hide everything. I ended up deflecting him by telling him that I was too busy for a relationship. Neither of us wanted to end it, but in the end, I gave us no chance. He told me to contact him, if I ever found the time for us. ...That was nearly two years ago. I never did. For all I know, he’s found someone else.”

“But you never got over him.”

Tokiya’s eyes are downcast but he shakes his head, no. Ren hums. 

“You can eat now, Toki. I’m done questioning you.”

Tokiya wonders about why Ren had asked him questions for a few days, but he forgets it by the next time Ren leaves. For quite some time, things go back to normal. 

And then, nearly two months later, Ren enters with _someone else_. 

There are quite a few things that Tokiya _could_ notice. Like the way that the man is walking, stiff and tensed. The way his face is twisted in pure rage and hatred, or the way his hands are curled into fists. The mark, an edge just peeking out from the collar of his shirt, seemingly in the same place that Ren had put Tokiya’s first mark. The almost smug look on Ren’s face that he’s mostly hiding but Tokiya can still tell. Tokiya could feel hurt, or upset, because Ren brought home a puppet for the first time in almost two years. 

But that isn’t what Tokiya takes in because the man is _Ranmaru_. 

For just a second all of the anger on Ranmaru’s face disappears with a look that is absolutely shell-shocked, before the anger comes back ten-fold. Ranmaru is shaking with it. 

Tokiya shrinks in, seeing Ranmaru’s anger. Ren glances over at Ranmaru, seeing the same thing, and then at Tokiya’s face. Ren closes the door. 

“Let’s get the hard things out of the way first.” Ren says smoothly. “Normally this is where I’d ease you in, Ranmaru, but I think this needs to be handled a different way. Toki- what’s wrong?”

It’s a command. Tokiya knows for a fact that all of Ren’s upcoming dialogue is going to be, to both himself and to Ranmaru. 

Tokiya’s voice trembles. Tokiya had been sitting with his legs on the couch but now they’re pressed tightly to his chest. His voice is small. “Ranmaru’s angry with me. You’ve brought him here but he doesn’t _want_ to see me.” Tokiya winces when he’s done, burying his face in his legs. 

Ranmaru’s anger isn’t gone from his expression but there’s also a fair amount of surprise. 

“Ranmaru? Why don’t you tell Tokiya _why_ you’re angry.” Ren moves to sit down on the couch, leaving a seat between himself and Tokiya so that he can still see Tokiya and Ranmaru. His posture is relaxed and casual, his arms on the back of the couch and his legs crossed, his ankle resting on his knee. 

Tokiya feels like a child, being forced to talk out a fight by an adult. Or, perhaps Ren is the child, playing with dolls- Tokiya doesn’t know what to think but he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like his own forcible honesty. He doesn’t like being forced to talk. 

Ranmaru scowls, but his answer comes quickly. It’s clear that he isn’t trying to hold back in the way Tokiya tried with his answer. “I’m _angry_ because you’ve fuckin’ stolen his life and turned him into your fuckin’ plaything. I’m _angry_ that I ever left ‘im alone because this wouldn’t ‘a happened if I hadn’t.” Ranmaru’s clearly speaking to Ren but he’s looking at Tokiya. Ranmaru’s voice shakes, even as he spits out his next sentence. “I’m _angry_ I left ‘im alone ‘ere so long and I’m _angry_ that I’m in a position now that I can’t help ‘im. I’m _angry_ that he’s ‘ere, small ‘n tremblin’ ‘n broken because of you and I can’t even start ‘t guess the extent.” Tokiya can’t tell if it’s Ren’s command that makes Ranmaru say his last sentence or if he says it for Tokiya. His voice is still harsh, but it is the softest it’s been yet. “I’m not mad at you, Tokiya ‘n _you’re_ not why I don’t wanna be ‘ere.”

Tokiya presses his face against his legs, his growing sobs silent but his shoulders shaking with his cries. 

“Ranmaru, do you still have feelings for Tokiya?”

Another scowl- but another fast answer. “‘Course I do.”

They’re definitely dolls- in more than just the literal sense. “I brought him here for you, Toki. Because you told me you were lonely. Tell me what you think of that- of having Ranmaru here for you when I’m not. What do you think of all of this, Toki?”

Tokiya’s answer does _not_ come quickly. He can’t look up but he’s forced to pull away from his legs enough for both Ren and Ranmaru to hear. “I want him here. I’ve wanted him for a long time. I never wanted to leave him. I told you I wanted to get married and have a life and he was who I wanted to get married to.” Tokiya wishes he could cover his mouth. These were things he rarely even let himself _think_ about. “But he doesn’t want to be here. I’m glad he wasn’t marked… yet…” Tokiya’s head snaps up and to Ren, but Ren gives him a soft smile. 

“I didn’t remark him, Toki. It didn’t hurt.”

Tokiya gives a shaky, relieved sigh, closing his eyes as he continues. “I’d want him under you instead of anyone else but I don’t want him unhappy. And… and I know you give all of your puppets the chance to leave after a year… I want him to have it but I… I also don’t want him to leave me.” Tokiya’s hands raise to cover his eyes, avoiding his mouth completely, though he has to pause his words to sob. Ren uses that pause to speak. 

It isn’t a command- though it does release a previous one. 

“That’s alright Ranmaru. You can go to him.”

Tokiya hears Ranmaru’s footsteps, but Ranmaru’s arms are around him before Tokiya can even uncover his eyes, holding him so tightly that it almost hurts. 

“Continue, Toki.” Ren’s command is gentle. 

“If… If he wants me-” It feels strange, to use _he_ when Ranmaru is actively holding Tokiya, now sitting on the couch next to him, but it’s an uncontrollable thing. “I want him. But… I… it doesn’t matter how much I want it if it hurts him _or you_ , Ren. Is this really alright?”

“I brought him here for you. I’ve always been a lover, Toki- tell me. Do you love Ranmaru?”

Tokiya’s voice breaks. “Absolutely.” 

“And you, Ranmaru? Do you love Tokiya?”

Ranmaru’s answer once again comes quickly. It hardly sounds like he’s talking to Ren, though that technically _is_ what he’s doing. “‘Course I fuckin’ do.” Ranmaru’s arms tighten further, just for a second, in a squeeze. 

“Then that’s all that I care about. You may be used to the idea of monogamy, Toki, but until you, I’ve always had multiple relations going at the same time. He does come at a price of course- I’m taking leaving off of the table _completely_. As long as he is here with you, you’re not to step out of this house. There is no leaving me. And, of course, I’m not planning to step to the side. Unless _you_ specifically ask it of me, Toki, I have no plans to change anything involving _us_. If you do end our current relationship-” Tokiya’s hands do fall from his eyes. His face is tear streaked, but the idea does send some panic through him. Ranmaru’s anger seems to flare a bit at Tokiya’s expression, his panicked look towards Ren, but his grip doesn’t loosen in the slightest. Ren seems satisfied, seeing it, but he still continues. “-I will be bringing puppets back into the home. Part of my power is the ability to be physical with my puppets. If Ranmaru’s anger never dies down, I won’t touch him. I won’t force him for you, Toki, but I won’t be giving it up entirely, either. I’d be willing to give you both a room of your own- because your being here at all times is still immensely helpful, but I won’t be keeping the house empty, either. What do you think, Toki?”

Tokiya manages to shift enough to hold onto Ranmaru’s arm. “I love Ran. I want him with me.” Tokiya’s eyes don’t leave Ren, still too wide. “But I love you. I don’t… I don’t want our relationship to change. I don’t want to ruin anything with either of you.” Tokiya finally closes his eyes, letting his head fall. “I want you both.”

Ren is smiling. Tokiya knows it. To him, this must be a win. Because whether Ranmaru stays or not, Tokiya won’t forget that Ren brought him. Tokiya isn’t going to leave, and he isn’t willing to lose Ren as a partner, even with Ranmaru. Tokiya was whipped.

“I’ll give you both some time alone.” Ren finally stands from the couch. “If you’d like privacy, feel free to use any of the rooms in the house. I’ll be in my own if you need me.”

Tokiya’s cries are quiet but they don’t stop, though Ranmaru is silent until Ren is out of the room and the faint sound of a door closing can be heard. Ranmaru finally pulls back but only to cup Tokiya’s face. Ranmaru’s anger is still present, but his expression is almost a bit wild, unable to keep himself calm. Ranmaru’s eyes search Tokiya’s face- his grip isn’t soft, but it isn’t painful, either. 

“How… how did Ren find you?” Tokiya’s voice is hoarse. 

Ranmaru’s voice is grim, still shaking a bit with anger. “He fuckin’ texted me off ‘a your phone. Text said you wanted ‘t try ‘t make it right with me, ‘n asked me ‘t meet up somewhere.” Ranmaru’s eyes close. “Think I knew it wasn’t you. ‘Cause I asked you ‘t call me ‘n he kept makin’ up excuses fer why he couldn’t. But I would’a went anyways. Either it really was you, actin’ weird, ‘r somethin’ happened ‘t you- he didn’t just ‘ave your phone. Knowin’ that our relationship was strained… knowin’ we even _were_ together, ‘r hell, even knowin’ that we weren’t _still_... that’s not just a lucky guess. ‘Course, he cornered me soon as I showed up ‘n marked me right away, ‘fore I even really knew what happened.” Ranmaru’s voice slips into a growl. “Fucker.”

Tokiya reaches out, to carefully place his fingertips against Ranmaru’s bottom lip. “Please don’t. I know you’re angry. I was really upset, too. But he’s good, Ran.”

Ranmaru’s eyebrows lower. “He’s _not_ , Tokiya. I’ve never heard yer voice so soft, ‘n I’ve never seen you so fuckin’ _small_. I’ve been in ‘ere for ten minutes ‘n I can tell he _broke_ you.”

“You’ll see.” Tokiya’s eyebrows furrow. “Not yet. But you’ll see.” Tokiya has to fight Ranmaru’s grip some to properly press his forehead to Ranmaru’s, but when Ranmaru figures out what he’s trying to do, he lets him. “Ren… Ren is going to give you a choice, to go back to your life in a year. ...I think you should take it.”

“I’ll tell you right fuckin’ now, Toki, that the only way I’m leavin’ is _with you_.” 

“...I can’t, Ran. I don’t think I could, even if he gave me the choice again. ...Not even for you. I’m sorry. ...Are you angry?”

Ranmaru’s eyes close, gently pressing his forehead further against Tokiya’s. “At him, yeah. I know it’s not your fault. Everythin’ in me wishes that you wanted ‘t leave, but… fuck, Toki. You’re… you’re _covered_ in marks. ...You’re physically healthy- but I think you’re too far over the edge to come back. ...And I’ve barely even been ‘ere to see it.” For the first time, the anger is completely gone from Ranmaru’s voice. For now- it’s only sad. 

Tokiya’s voice reflects that same sadness. “Then isn’t that more of a reason for you to leave?”

“I dunno that I can help you, Tokiya, but I can’t just… give up on you, either. ...I wanna believe that I could’a done somethin’, if I were with you- but I’m ‘ere, too. Maybe there was somethin’ I could’a done. Maybe there was nothin’. But whether I could’a saved you from this ‘r not, I’m always gonna feel responsible. But that means I’m always gonna want ‘t make it up to you- I’ll never do that if I leave. So I’m not gonna. If I’ve gotta put up with this guy for the rest ‘a my life just ‘t make sure _you’re_ safe then I fuckin’ will.”

Tokiya swallows hard, his hands moving to clutch onto Ranmaru’s sleeves. “We’ve… this is too much. I… I just got you back. I… will… I want to enjoy it. Am… am I right to? Am I allowed to?”

Ranmaru’s gaze softens, and his eyes slide closed. “Yeah, Toki. You’re allowed to. Why don’t we stop ‘ere with all ‘a the hard talk ‘n just… enjoy that we’re together.” 

Tokiya sniffles, but he manages a shaky, flickering smile. “Thank you.”

That night Tokiya and Ranmaru end up sleeping in one of the empty rooms that the old puppets used to occupy. They were rooms that Tokiya didn’t often go into and they hadn’t been renovated. There were multiple bedrooms in Ren’s house, and some of them simply had two to three queen sized beds, while the others had rows of bunk beds. Ren had never explained it, but Tokiya imagined that some puppets were likely like Tokiya- into Ren but certainly not into each other. Tokiya had led Ranmaru into a room he knew to have bunk beds. 

It was a tight fit, but right now Tokiya was glad for that. And privately, he was worried- Ren had once told him that if Tokiya weren’t special that he’d have brought him into a puppet room and would have taken him there, and knowing that puppets didn’t go into Ren’s room… Tokiya didn’t really want to sleep on a bed where Ren had slept with who knows how many of his puppets. Tokiya manages to push that thought out of his head, to instead focus on the situation he’s in. 

He and Ranmaru had been separated for a very long time, but with the way Ranmaru was holding Tokiya to himself, it was hard to tell. Tokiya couldn’t forget that Ranmaru had been tricked because he had _wanted_ to meet with Tokiya. 

“If it had actually been me, reaching out to you.” Tokiya’s voice is soft. “Would you have given me the chance to try to fix us?”

“I was hopin’ that’s what you were tryin’ ‘t do. It’s why I went.”

“So this… this isn’t just because you’re upset.” Tokiya speaks carefully, and Ranmaru sighs. 

“I’m movin’ a lot faster than I would’a. Had it been you reachin’ out ‘t me. Everythin’ he asked… fuckin’ as much as I hated watchin’ him make you talk, we both know that it was the truth. Everythin’ I said was honest, Tokiya. I hated lettin’ you break up with me, back then- but there wasn’t anythin’ else that I could do. ...I tried ‘t reach out ‘t you. I called you, a few months back, but I never got any further ‘n your voicemail and I thought you might’a blocked my number.”

“I wouldn’t have.” Tokiya’s hand tightens in Ranmaru’s shirt, holding onto him. “If I had my phone I would have answered. I… had it… I guess, but it had died. I… I couldn’t leave Ren, even if I tried. Even if I… wanted to. And I’m sorry, but I don’t. But I… even though I love him, I won’t ever agree with how he tricked you. ...But I’m not… as angry that he marked you. Because I really believe him, when he says that he lets puppets go if they want to go. I’ve seen him do it before. But if he _could_ mark you, then someone else could, too. But it’s a form of protection.”

Ranmaru is quiet for a long moment, but then he brings up his hand, beginning to pet through Tokiya’s hair. “Let’s just rest, yeah? Think that tonight’s been a long fuckin’ night for both ‘a us.”

“I… I have another question first.” When Ranmaru doesn’t stop him, Tokiya continues. “You said that you wouldn’t be moving this quickly, if it weren’t for this situation.” A heavy, unsettled feeling settles heavily in Tokiya’s stomach. “God, Ren didn’t-” Tokiya swallows hard as his panic rises. “He didn’t tell you to do this did he? He didn’t order you to do any of this… right?”

“I’m not lyin’ to you, Toki. He didn’t make me do anythin’. ...I’m worried about you. ...But I can’t help but ‘t imagine the kinda relationship you’ve been havin’ with him ‘n it pisses me off. You’re not gonna like hearin’ this, Toki, but he _doesn’t_ love you. ‘N you’re not gonna believe me when I say that and that’s why I’m… skippin’ our reunion phase. The workin’ back up ‘t this. Because the only thing I _can_ do is try ‘t give you a relationship that’s not just a power dynamic. Think you’re a ‘lil too far gone ‘t try to give you a lecture on healthy relationships but it doesn’t mean that I can’t _try_ to give you one. ...Try to balance how much he’s fuckin’ you up.” Ranmaru sighs, squeezing Tokiya tightly. “I’m not bein’ controlled. I’m not fakin’ this. ...I’m human, too, Toki. ...Even back when we were datin’, I missed it, when you weren’t in the bed with me. How fuckin’ distant you were, towards the end of us. ‘N that didn’t leave, even we ended. ...I hate sayin’ this. This doesn’t go with anythin’ I said about healthy relationships, ‘r about healthy… anythin’. Nothin’ makes this   
situation worth it. But…” Ranmaru gives a frustrated sigh, as he tries to think of how to describe it. “Anythin’ would be worth you not bein’ ‘ere at all. But if this guy… Ren… finds you no matter what- then I’d rather be ‘ere than ‘t not be with you.”

“I’ve cried too much tonight.” Tokiya says weakly. 

“We’re done talkin’.” Ranmaru affirms. “There’s enough ‘t be upset about. What’s the point in gettin’ upset any further, yeah?”

“...Yeah.” Tokiya buries his face into Ranmaru’s shoulder, but this time he really does stay quiet. 

During the day, Tokiya is worried about what they’re going to do that night, because Tokiya doesn’t want to keep switching rooms but he also knows that Ranmaru won’t want to sleep in the same bed as Ren. And truthfully, Tokiya doesn’t want to sleep without either of them. 

But as evening approaches, Ren comes up to Tokiya- he had been scarce that day. Ranmaru tenses when Ren nears Tokiya, but Ren just presses a kiss to Tokiya’s forehead. “I’m going to be off, my marionette.” Ranmaru scowls heavily at the nickname. “It should only be for a few days, but if you call, I will answer.” Ren fully pulls away from Tokiya. “I’d implore you… both-” Ren glances at Ranmaru. “To get used to sleeping in our room, Toki. If you’d like to hold up our end of the relationship, I’d like to see you back in our bed at night. And when I get back, I’d like to get my hands on you.” Ren gives a smile that Tokiya would consider charming but based on Ranmaru’s dark expression, he doesn’t agree. “Of course, you’re free to join us.” 

Ren’s laugh, to Ranmaru, is mocking. To Tokiya, it’s teasing. 

Ren sees something in Ranmaru’s expression, and it gets a shine in Ren’s eyes- this time, when Ren turns back to Tokiya, it isn’t just a kiss on the forehead. He tilts Tokiya’s chin up and presses his lips to Tokiya. There is a small part of Tokiya that is reminded that Ranmaru is there, besides him, but there’s too many feelings involved in the kiss and the thought slips quickly from Tokiya’s head, especially when Ren’s tongue runs across Tokiya’s lower lip and Tokiya’s lips part for him, almost automatically. 

Tokiya’s eyes are closed. He doesn’t see Ren and the way his eyes are just barely open- enough for Ranmaru to tell that Ren’s looking right at him. There’s a smug aura about him. When Ren finally pulls back, Tokiya is flushed and out of breath. 

“I’m off.” Ren mumbles, finally fully pulling away from Tokiya. “Call me if you need me, my love.” 

With that, Ren really does leave, leaving Ranmaru glaring behind him. 

Ranmaru is silent, as Tokiya is as well, but Ranmaru does take Tokiya’s hand. After a long moment of silence, Ranmaru speaks. “Why don’t you show me what you do, when you’re here by yerself.”

Tokiya nods. 

There really isn’t much to show him, but Tokiya does lead him to the spot Tokiya usually spends his time in. 

Tokiya remembers Ren’s curious confusion when he had come back one day and one of the cushy living room chairs was gone. When Tokiya had admitted to dragging it all the way across the house to the music room, Ren had given him a fond laugh. There were no questions when, the next week, an end table had also disappeared. 

Tokiya liked the music room. When he wanted quiet, it was silent, and when he wasn’t in the mood to play music but he was in the mood to listen to it, the music off of his phone sounded nice, too. Nicer than it did in any other room in the house. Right now there were two stacks of books next to the chair and one book on the end table. One stack was books he had read, the other was books that he wanted to and there was a bookmark in the middle of the one on the table. 

“There’s plenty of things to do but I spend most of my time in here, or in the living room.”

“Yesterday. When y’were waitin’ on the couch- how long were you there?”

Tokiya sighs, his eyes closing. “I don’t remember. But if you’re asking that because you’re wondering if I wait for him, then that’s a yes. I… I’m the reason you’re here, Ran. I didn’t _mean_ to be- but he asked me about the people I cared about and you were one of them. He asked me because I admitted that I was lonely, when he wasn’t here.”

“Of fuckin’ course you are. He told you yesterday you weren’t even allowed ‘t leave the house. I don’t get it. Why ‘aven’t you ever left? ‘N I’m not even talkin’ about now, because I think I know why _now_. But before? Before he fucked with your head?”

“Ren rarely left, before. ...I… I don’t know. I want to say I would have.” Tokiya’s voice has softened. “But I had a chance before and I didn’t. There were others here but I was afraid of them- they were jealous of the way that he was treating me. I don’t think they _would have_ stopped me if I left because I think they would have been glad that I was gone. I think Ren knew where I lived, and I believe he also knew where I went to school. ...But I didn’t really think about that, then. I… the first chance I had to leave, I never did. I never tried- I never… thought about it.” Tokiya looks away from Ranmaru and swallows hard. “I didn’t… it wasn’t that I _wanted_ it, at first. I really wanted to leave, when I first got here. If Ren used pain, I don’t think I would have broken nearly as easily as I had but he _didn’t_. He pretended like he cared. He kept telling me that he did- he was… he _is_... intoxicating. I’m not… I’m not proud to tell you that, Ran, but I can’t help it. I still don’t believe it, when he tells me that he loves me, but I _want_ to. _I’m_ not lying when I say I love him. I still wish he had been cruel to me, because then maybe this would be a different discussion. Maybe I’d still be here for fear of what he’d do to me if I left- and there _is_ fear. I’m still here, and I’m going to stay here, because I’m _afraid_ to lose him. I’m _afraid_ to disappoint him. If I left now, I’d come crawling back, and he knows that. ...In the way that you told me last night, that you were staying to try to give me a healthy relationship… I… I love you both. But you, Ran… you’re not… you’re not my _drug_. I do love you. But I _really_ love you. I’m _in_ love with you. It’s not the same with Ren. I need you, too, but it’s not in the same way. And I feel terrible, that I can’t really give you myself anymore. If you forced me to choose, I couldn’t choose you, and it isn’t because I don’t want to. It’s because it would tear me apart to lose you but it would kill me to lose him- and it _is_ his fault. In no way do I find him blameless. But at the same time, I can’t care.”

“I can’t say I get it. But it’s not somethin’ I went through.”

“You might.” Tokiya’s voice breaks. “I want you and Ren to get along. Because I don’t want to feel so… torn. It’s… hard. Because you think I’m broken. And I don’t want to see the same thing when I look at you. But I don’t… _feel_ broken. I know it’s not right but when Ren’s around me, I don’t feel it. I can’t even think about it logically- it’s like when I look at you.” Tokiya’s expression is almost childlike. “When I’m around you, I just… know. I love you. It’s easy. And that’s how it feels when I’m around him. It doesn’t matter that the love isn’t right because it _feels_ like love. And I really do hate talking about this with you. Because it’s just so _unfair_ to you.”

“Maybe.” Ranmaru grunts. “But that’s not _your_ fault. The world we live in is fucked. And you’ve got the worst position you could have. But I can’t even fuckin’ imagine goin’ through that ‘n bein’ forced ‘t stay stuck in your head.” Ranmaru’s eyebrows furrow. “I hate this entire situation, Toki. I said it yesterday, but I’m just feelin’ it stronger the longer I’m ‘ere. I’m glad here.” Ranmaru’s jaw tenses, and he lets out another sigh. “But I’m gonna be honest, Toki, I don’t think Ren’s gonna get me the way he got you. ‘N I don’t really think he’s tryin’ to, either.”

“All of his puppets felt the way I did. I don’t mean to… not have faith in you, Ran. I didn’t think that he’d get me, either.”

Ranmaru frowns, but whatever thoughts he has aren’t voiced and Tokiya doesn’t push. Instead, he changes the subject. 

“Come with me.”

Ranmaru follows Tokiya. The hallways are confusing but Tokiya has traversed the layout enough to know the quickest way to get to the door leading out to the backyard of the estate. There’s a large, brick wall surrounding the back of the property, but the front door was also only locked from the inside. The wall wasn’t stopping Tokiya because he wasn’t _physically_ trapped. In fact- Ren hadn’t even _ordered_ him to stay here. It wasn’t a command. Nothing was stopping Tokiya from just leaving, other than his feelings. 

But that was enough. 

Ren and Tokiya were both well aware. 

It’s very obvious what Tokiya is going to lead Ranmaru to as soon as they’re outside because the garden is _giant_ and takes up most of the backyard. 

“It’s only roses.” Tokiya says softly. “But you’ve told me before, about the garden you liked to walk through.”

“I was supposed ‘t take you to it.” Ranmaru’s voice is subdued. “Was makin’ plans, fer a while. ...Was gonna propose ‘t you there, actually.”

“...It may not have changed anything. And this thought may be worthless, now. But I wish I hadn’t left you. There’s… there’s something else.”

Tokiya is slow, in taking Ranmaru’s hand, but Ranmaru’s returning grip is tight. Tokiya leads him into the garden. It really is beautiful. Ren had been the first to walk Tokiya through it because Ren had grown all of them himself- there were even a few types Ren had _created_. 

Tokiya leads Ranmaru to the middle of the garden, to a large, ornate fountain. When Tokiya sits on the edge of it, Ranmaru joins him. 

“I left you for a really stupid reason.” Tokiya admits. “I wasn’t taking care of myself, and I didn’t want you to stop me. ...I didn’t want you disappointed in me, either. I don’t know what I was planning. I’d like to believe that I was going to reach out to you, when I finally finished school.”

“I knew you were bullshittin’ me.” Ranmaru’s voice is quiet. “Didn’t know how bad it was. I dunno what I was thinkin’ either. I guess I figured it was somethin’ that I didn’t really wanna know. I’d rather you tell me you’re too busy for us than ‘t tell me that there was someone else, ‘r that you just didn’t feel anythin’ for me anymore. ...I don’t think I would’a let you go as easy if I knew that you were gettin’ rid ‘a me just ‘t not take care ‘a yourself.”

“That’s something that you might at least agree with Ren on. Ren very rarely gets angry with me- but he does if he comes home and I’ve started slacking in my self care.”

“Somethin’.” Ranmaru says dryly. 

Tokiya finally sighs, resting his head against Ranmaru’s shoulder. “There’s so much going on. And it’s… pardon my language, but it’s a shitty situation.” That does get something that’s almost a snort out of Ranmaru, but Tokiya continues. “But we have a few days to ourselves, before Ren returns. And we’ve had a lot of serious conversations, and I’m sure we’ll have a lot more in the future. ...The kitchen’s full.”

That one actually gets a _laugh_ from Ranmaru. “Y’sure know how ‘t sweet talk a dude, Toki.”

Tokiya feels more lively, with Ranmaru. The activities that had bored him were entertaining again. It was nice to have Ranmaru. To have a running commentary during movies. To have someone else make food for him, or to help Ranmaru cook. There were board games in the game room of the house, and Tokiya hadn’t played chess in years but he lost every game he played to Ranmaru. Even reading was better, because Ranmaru just sat in the chair and napped while Tokiya sat on his lap and read. Tokiya didn’t have much to speak about because he _did_ make an attempt to not let Ren dominate his side of the conversation but there wasn’t much else for him to say. Ranmaru spoke about his life, but it had, more than anything, just been him working. 

The day that Ren returns, Tokiya isn’t waiting for him on the couch. When Tokiya sees Ren, Tokiya thinks that Ren is glad to see it. Ranmaru gets a sly glance before Ren presses his lips to Tokiya in a greeting. 

“And how have you been, my Marionette?”

After the first year, Ren had used that nickname less. He almost always used pet names for Tokiya, but usually stuck with fonder ones because Tokiya had never quite gotten over how bittersweet ‘marionette’ was. 

But the nickname clearly made Ranmaru angry- so Ren’s brought it back up. It didn’t set well with Tokiya- he doesn’t like the way Ren is acting around Ranmaru. Tokiya doesn’t call Ren out. He can’t. Instead, he answers Ren’s question. 

“Better.”

“I’m glad. And have the both of you been sleeping in our room?”

Tokiya is relieved to nod. He likes being able to tell Ren that he’s followed orders- he wants to do well, in Ren’s eyes. 

Ranmaru had been a bit uncomfortable, the first night, sleeping in Ren’s room. But Tokiya had been uncomfortable sleeping anywhere else after Ren had asked them to sleep in his room. ...Their room. 

“Good boy.” Tokiya is rewarded with another kiss- though he keeps it short and soft. “I’m going to get myself from food- but it has been _far_ too long since I’ve been able to get my hands on you properly, Toki, and I plan to tonight.” Even Tokiya is a bit unsettled by the smile Ren gives- it reminds him of a snake. Deceptive, cunning. Taunting and dangerous. “Of course, you’re free to join us as well, Ranmaru.” 

Ranmaru’s jaw tightens, but he stays silent. 

When it does come time to go to the bedroom, Tokiya is led by Ren but Ranmaru _is_ following. 

“Oh?” Ren’s smile is teasing. “Have we peaked your interest?”

“Don’t want you hurtin’ him.” Ranmaru scowls. 

Ren’s smile hardly changes, but now it’s far more challenging. Tokiya can’t quite hide the anxiety on his face at their interaction. “And if I did? You’d stop me, hmm?”

“You wouldn’t.” Tokiya says quietly. Uneasily. “He wouldn’t, Ran.” 

Ren chuckles, sliding his hand from Tokiya’s shoulder, up his neck and into his hair to run his hand through it. “Of course I wouldn’t, Toki. I promised you that I’d never, and I am a man of my word.”

Tokiya does feel better, after Ren’s reassurance. He wants to know why Ren is trying to rile Ranmaru up, but he doesn’t want to press the situation anymore, and he’s out of time as it is- now that they’re entering the bedroom.

“Well- if you aren’t joining us, Ranmaru, feel free to sit anywhere. Though I’d suggest somewhere with a good view.”

Tokiya realizes that he’s about to cuckold Ranmaru and that may be one of the strangest thoughts he’s ever had. 

Well- maybe not _exactly_. Ranmaru didn’t exactly looked _thrilled_ to be here.

“If it makes you uncomfortable, Ran- I’ll be fine.” Tokiya’s eyebrows knit together. 

“There’s somethin’ that I need ‘t see, Toki.” Ranmaru’s voice is grim. “If you really want me out, I’ll leave. But I want _you_ ‘t tell me that.”

Ren looks a bit curious. “Tell us, Toki.” Ren is gentle when he turns Tokiya’s head, but Tokiya’s heart begins to race because Tokiya is turned to face _Ranmaru_. “ _Do_ you want him to stay?”

Tokiya’s voice is only a whisper, but it’s loud enough for them both to hear. “Yes.” 

Tokiya wants to turn his head away- but he can’t. Ren isn’t quite done yet. 

“Tell him why.”

“It isn’t that I want you to watch us…” Tokiya’s answer comes slowly. His face is flooded red, and he wishes that he could stop talking. He hasn’t been _this_ against Ren’s orders since he had first arrived. There’s an almost helpless expression on Ranmaru’s face- he wouldn’t make Tokiya answer these, but he couldn’t stop it from happening, either. “Have sex. But it feels less… like I’m doing something wrong. If you know about it.”

“Good boy.” Ren purrs, finally letting go of Tokiya’s face. Tokiya is fast to turn his head to look away. “Does that answer content you, Ranmaru?”

“Fuck you.” Ranmaru spits, scowling. Ren gets a smile on his face- but Tokiya can’t quite see the cruelty in it, with his head facing the floor. 

“The offer is still on the table. But I think I’d prefer a quiet audience, if that’s all you’re going to be.”

Ranmaru scowls, but with that, he takes a place, further in the room. He only takes a second to roll his eyes at the mirror over the bed. There’s a desk in Ren’s room, and Ranmaru simply turns the chair. 

“An audience calls for a show, hmm?” Ren’s hands leave Tokiya, just for him to slip behind Tokiya to set both hands on his waist. He presses a kiss to Tokiya’s neck. “It’d make me very happy if you’d strip for me, Toki. And I’d like you to take your time.”

Ren’s _”for me”_ turns out to be a lie- because Ren turns Tokiya towards Ranmaru before letting him go. Tokiya can’t turn his eyes away, though he can feel his heart pound. Ranmaru’s face is drawn in tight. He’s angry. _Pissed._ His eyes narrow in a glare, but he focuses on Ren, looking away from Tokiya. Tokiya’s hands find the top button of his shirt. 

“I’m certainly not the most interesting thing in this room right now, Ranmaru. You should give Tokiya your attention.” There’s a layer of amusement in Ren’s voice. 

Ranmaru takes a long second to look at Tokiya. Tokiya _is_ slow in unbuttoning his shirt. 

When Ren speaks next, his voice finally softens. “You’re doing fine, Toki. Don’t look so nervous, baby. There’s no one in this room that _isn’t_ going to find you _extremely_ attractive.”

Tokiya’s face does relax, on command, but Ren’s softer tone did help Tokiya. It was better than his attitude towards Ranmaru. Tokiya’s hands continue, steadier than they would be if he were really doing it himself. Ranmaru keeps his eyes on Tokiya’s- and surprisingly, it helps. Tokiya _can’t_ move fast, but he’s less jerky. His nerves are lessened when Ranmaru isn’t watching his body. 

That only lasts as long as Tokiya’s shirt is on. Ranmaru’s eyes immediately snap to the mark on his chest- the horrible, scarred mark from the last time he had been attacked. Ranmaru’s eyes are off Tokiya, and he’s out of the chair, “What the _fuck_ did you do ‘t him?” 

“Tokiya, wait.” Ren’s voice is calm. Tokiya’s hands drop to his side- but Tokiya is fast to speak as Ranmaru starts to head towards Ren. 

“Ran, it wasn’t him!” Tokiya’s voice is almost pleading. “It wasn’t his fault.”

Ranmaru does still, when Tokiya speaks, but Ranmaru’s expression is still dangerous when he looks at Tokiya. 

“What’s on his chest is a case of remarking.” Ren explains quietly. His voice is serious. The taunting, mocking tone he often used with Ranmaru was nonexistent. “The remark was designed to hurt him to hurt me, by a different puppeteer. The puppeteers that hurt him are long gone now. But that’s a very special situation.” Ren approaches Tokiya, and Ranmaru tenses, especially when Ren sets a hand on Tokiya’s bare arm, but Ren’s finger traces over Tokiya’s arm, enhancing a simplified mark- but Tokiya’s eyes flutter closed and his breathing begins to come more shallowly, his head emptied of thoughts. It was _very_ clear that he wasn’t in pain. 

Actually, this mark felt better than most of his other marks had. Ren really must control it. Or perhaps it was Tokiya’s feelings that made it stronger. But even Ranmaru can see the truth on this one. 

“Now, if you believe me- sit back down.”

Ranmaru doesn’t move. That gets Tokiya’s attention, and it comes with unease. Ren’s hand hasn’t moved from Tokiya’s arm but he is no longer actively marking Tokiya. “He’s telling the truth, Ran.”

“He knows.” Ren’s voice still holds no mirth. “Toki- how do I treat my puppets?”

“You’re… affectionate?” Tokiya’s answer is very unsure. “You… use a reward system. To win them over. You’re… kind to them?”

“You’re right. So why don’t you think I’m treating Ranmaru like that?”

Ranmaru’s eyes are narrowed- but he’s quiet. He still won’t sit. “I don’t know.” Tokiya admits. Ren slips behind Tokiya fully and sets his chin on Tokiya’s shoulder. 

“It’s because he’s not my puppet.” 

“What?” Tokiya’s eyes widen. “But his mark-”

“It’s real. But my marks only work on puppets, Toki. They don’t work on humans.”

Tokiya’s eyes widen in horror. His entire face reflects that he’s _terrified._ “Did… did you hurt him with your mark, Ren? He’s not a puppet, did-?” Tokiya’s voice raises. All he can think about is Shichiro. The nasty mark on the other puppeteers arm. That’s not how Ranmaru’s looks- but similar to puppeteers, humans weren’t usually marked. 

Ren heads towards Ranmaru, and Ranmaru takes a step back. Ren does still, his eyebrow arching. His voice is quiet, but there is a crueler tone back in his voice. “You don’t need to let me give you another mark. If you don’t want me to- I won’t. But look at Tokiya’s face.” Tokiya can’t hide the scared expression that he’s still wearing- especially with the way Ranmaru jerked away from Ren. “He’s seen a painful mark. He _knows_ a painful mark. Are you going to deny him proof that you didn’t go through the same thing?”

Ranmaru scowls, but his eyes hold on Tokiya for a long moment before he finally stretches out his hand. Ren’s fingers brush against Ranmaru’s wrist, coloring in a single, simple rose. Ranmaru doesn’t even blink. Tokiya’s sigh of relief is shaky. 

“I have to know.” Ren draws back his hand. “I knew from the start that you weren’t a puppet. At first- I was highly disappointed. I thought that you’d make a great pet for Toki.” Tokiya can’t help but to wince at that, but with Ren’s back to him, he doesn’t notice. “And then- for whatever reason, you let me _mark_ you. You followed my commands. You almost had me believing I was wrong about you- and then, just now. You denied my command when you stopped watching Toki. Why? Why pretend?”

“You texted me off ‘a Toki’s phone.” Ranmaru scowls. “I knew he was in trouble. ‘N then you tried ‘t fuckin’ mark me ‘n I figured out pretty quick what happened. Figured if I went with ya that you’d lead me to ‘im. Thought I’d be able ‘t help ‘im. If you thought I was a puppet. I could just take ‘im out.”

“And yet I’ve left you alone and you’re both still here.”

“You fucked ‘im up. If I took ‘im away from you he’d be miserable. I don’t give a shit about you ‘n your sick reasons fer wantin’ ‘im as bad as you do- but… he’s not in pain. Whatever you did ‘t ‘im… I can’t say he’s happy. But he’d be… worse if I made ‘im leave. Doesn’t mean I appreciate any ‘a your goddamn fuckin’ bullshit, _Ren_.”

Ren makes a noise- amused. “Interesting. Everything considered. But we’re in the same boat in one aspect- I want Toki to be as happy as I can make him. Of course- if I _could_ stay here forever, I would and you wouldn’t be here. But as it is… I can’t.” Ren’s voice turns cold enough to send a shiver down Tokiya’s spine. “But don’t mistake it- puppet or not, I _am_ the boss here, and my word is final.”

Ranmaru scowls, crossing his arms over his chest. He’s silent. 

“Now. I plan to continue. Feel free to leave, or to take your seat. But I’m tired of your interruptions.”

Ranmaru is clearly seething, but he takes one look at Tokiya who still hasn’t really calmed down, and he finally steps back. Ren’s face changes to something far more pleasant when he turns back to Tokiya- apologetic, even. He steps in front of Tokiya and puts his hand on Tokiya’s waist, leaning in to press a kiss against his neck. “I’m sorry, baby. I got you all worked up. It’s alright. Just relax and let me take care of you.”

“This is consensual, yeah?” Ranmaru’s voice is dangerous. Careful. He’s still sitting, but he’s tensed. 

Ren sighs, but he turns himself, enough that Ranmaru can clearly see Tokiya’s face. 

“Do you want me to keep going, my love?”

The question is a question that Tokiya knows by heart. Even after all this time- even when Tokiya _never_ says no- he asks it. Tokiya glances away from Ranmaru, but his answer is commanded and therefore honest. “I do.”

“And there you have it.” Once again- Ren’s voice is serious. There is no edge to it. There isn’t even a smugness. But with that, he steps back in front of Tokiya and takes him in a proper kiss. 

Ren strips Tokiya himself, and lifts him, to carry him to the bed. Tokiya’s head is fuzzy with Ren’s body and lips on his- enough that any embarrassment about Ranmaru being in the room is gone. 

Tokiya and Ranmaru had gotten close, but they had never gone all of the way. Ranmaru had never seen Tokiya entirely naked, until now. Tokiya thinks that he should be nervous but Ren isn’t giving him a chance to. 

When Tokiya begins crying- soft, and certainly nothing hysterical but crying nonetheless, Ren doesn’t stop. It’s not the first time this has happened- and Tokiya’s never asked him to stop. A few times, he’s actually asked Ren to continue. 

Ranmaru’s never seen it- to him, Tokiya’s upset, and Ren won’t stop. 

When Ranmaru’s hand finds Ren’s shoulder to pull him back, Tokiya starts. Ren isn’t surprised, but there’s a look in Ren’s eyes that gets Tokiya truly, genuinely scared. Ranmaru can’t quite see it. 

“It’s fine.” Tokiya hiccups in his panic to get it out. All he can think right now is that he doesn’t want them to fight. He sits up, his chest pressed to Ren’s and his hand gentle on Ranmaru’s wrist, trying to do damage control. “I don’t-” Another hiccup. “I don’t need him to stop. He’s not… I’m okay.” 

“You’re crying.” Ranmaru’s voice is venomous. “You should be _done_.”

“You’re an awfully noisy audience.” Ren’s voice is too calm. He’s gentle when he brushes Tokiya’s hand off of Ranmaru. He’s careful, when he lowers Tokiya back down. He’s not- when he removes Ranmaru’s hand from his shoulder himself. Tokiya thinks he can see a bruise on Ren’s shoulder. Ren is still partially clothed, but with his shirt off, Tokiya can tell just how tight Ranmaru’s grip is. Ren hasn’t glanced back at Ranmaru once- but when Ranmaru’s hand is off of him, he speaks again. “Don’t forget, Ranmaru.” Ren’s hand trails Tokiya’s jaw, carefully. Gently. Tokiya feels scared. He’s never once seen Ren like this. He’s never _heard_ Ren speak like this. “I can order Tokiya to forget you. I can tell him to hate you and he’ll believe that he does. I can have him denounce you and there’s nothing you can do about it. It would be wise of you to remember that _I_ am the only one Tokiya _needs_.”

Tokiya wants to say something but Ren’s words have him shocked into silence. Ranmaru’s hands have fallen to his side, but they’re in tight fists. “If you hurt him.” Ranmaru’s voice is so quiet that it’s hard to hear. “That’s not gonna matter.” 

With that, Ranmaru does turn back. He’s still unwilling to leave the room, but his head is down. Tokiya doesn’t like his expression. He wants to go to him- to comfort him. To tell him that Ren _wouldn’t_ hurt Tokiya. But Tokiya’s worried about Ren, too. Maybe he shouldn’t be. 

Tokiya _was_ scared. But he was worried, too, because he had never seen Ren act like that before. The last time he had seen Ren anything like this was when Tokiya was attacked. 

Ren ducks his head, pressing a soft kiss against Tokiya’s jaw. “It’s okay, baby.” Ren coos softly. “I’m sorry I scared you. What I said was mean to you. I promise that I’m never going to do anything to hurt you, darling. You are _always_ my top priority.”

“He means well.” Tokiya’s voice breaks, but it’s so quiet, too. “I just don’t want you two to fight.”

Ren’s eyebrows draw in and he sighs. “I know, Toki. I know. But for now- I’m going to make you feel better. I want to make you relax.”

It isn’t a command. 

Ranmaru doesn’t leave the room- though Tokiya can’t tell just how little of it he watches, too distracted by Ren. 

Tokiya is quickly growing more tired, when Ren moves to one side of the bed, pulling Tokiya to the middle. Ren’s arm stays wrapped around Tokiya’s waist, his nose pressed to Tokiya’s shoulder. Ren’s eyes are closed but he doesn’t sound particularly tired. 

“I have no intentions to leave my own bed, Ranmaru. But if you don’t want to sleep in another room, or in that chair, you’re free to sleep on Tokiya’s other side.”

Tokiya can’t see Ranmaru’s scowl but he’s sure it’s there. Ranmaru still does get up, to climb into the bed. Ren doesn’t let go of Tokiya, but Ranmaru acts as if Ren isn’t there. Ren’s hand must be touching Ranmaru’s side, but Ranmaru ignore it in his quest to hold on to a part of Tokiya, and Ren doesn’t react to it either. 

In Tokiya’s sleepy state, it’s only too easy to pretend like Ranmaru and Ren’s early argument hadn’t happened. It’s what helps Tokiya go to sleep. 

Ren stays for a week- and that first night is far from the last he and Tokiya sleep with each other. Ranmaru never leaves the room, but he also doesn’t stop Ren, the way he had the first night. He still always seems bothered. 

When Ren is home, Ranmaru and Tokiya don’t get very much time alone. 

But when Ren does leave, kissing Tokiya goodbye and promising that he’d be back soon, Tokiya finally gets to properly speak to Ranmaru. 

“Are you okay?” Tokiya had waited a good hour after Ren had left to really start to talk to Ranmaru. 

“Am _I_?” Ranmaru is incredulous. His jaw tightens. For the past few days of sitting in the chair in the bedroom, he had seemed helpless. His anger had died down the longer he had nothing he could really do. “You _cried_. Almost every fuckin’ time he slept with you, Tokiya.”

Tokiya’s eyebrows furrow, but his hands raise to cup Ranmaru’s face. “It’s… It’s emotional, Ran. That’s really all it is. The only thing that I’m forced to do when he and I sleep together is tell him whether I want to or not. He doesn’t force me. ...I hate the way he treats you. And I think… I think I suffer for it, sometimes. But he does treat me with care. His true feelings really don’t matter- what he _does_ is kind.” Tokiya closes his eyes and breathes out. “I have a few more things to say about this- but I have to ask. ...You’re… human? But you’re here? I don’t understand. I know you explained it but I _can’t_ understand. You were so… _angry_ , when you got here.”

“‘S like I told Ren. I followed ‘im for you. I expected you ‘t be hurt ‘n scared- I wasn’t expectin’ any ‘a this. I was plannin’ to come ‘ere, figure out a way ‘t take you back ‘n hide you. I wanted ‘t _save you_ , Toki. Soon as I figured out that Ren was a puppeteer, I knew what happened ‘t you and I didn’t want you condemned ‘t that. I didn’t even know there were puppeteers like Ren. ...The way he treats me is how I figured he’d treat you. ‘T hear you defend him like this is still… unsettlin’.”

“He constantly tells me I’m special.” Tokiya says quietly. “And I’m inclined to believe him. And it isn’t for any reason involving feelings- there is no belief that he just… _loves me that much_. He told me that puppeteers can find special puppets. He told me that I increase his power far more than any other puppets do, and considering the fact that he’s willing to dote on me the way he does- all of the trouble he went through to keep me, even finding a way to bring _you_ here to try to keep me happy… that’s why I think he’s telling me the truth. It’s why I truly believe that he isn’t going to hurt me- that he actually is planning to _continue_ to keep me happy. And his other puppets, when he had them. The looks of pure jealousy they all gave me, with the way he doted on me. They loved him, too. And I’m beginning to suspect that he hadn’t treated any of them the way he treated me- because I had expressed that I was… jealous.” Tokiya doesn’t miss the way Ranmaru’s eyebrow raises, but he continues. “And Ren went to the living room and told all of them that he’d be finding them all new places to live. ...Just like that. There must be something different about me.”

“Is it really right though? ‘T help ‘im like this?”

“It’s better.” Tokiya insists. “Because he may still be marking people- but this is his home. For as much time as he spends out, he spends more time here. And there are no puppets here. Which means that many of those he marks are likely off on their own, continuing their lives. There’s a very large chance that many people don’t even have the year, Ran. That’s significantly less people that are protected by his mark that don’t have the chance to fall for him, the way that I and many others did. That’s a good thing.”

Ranmaru sighs. “I’d say at the cost ‘a you. But you don’t see it that way.”

“...I don’t. It’s hard to miss what I had because I don’t feel unhappy. You are the only exception. And this is so, so selfish of me- but now that I have you? I feel _happy_. Because the only time I felt… really unhappy… was when I was alone. And if it weren’t you, it wouldn’t be as good of a fix. It… it feels like a permanent solution to me, but it shouldn’t be one for you. I don’t know what to do, Ran.”

“It’s gonna be as permanent for me as it’s gonna be for you.” Ranmaru says grimly. “‘N there’s not really any point ‘t whether it’s fair ‘r not. I might not be a puppet- but most’a the population’s in a pretty similar place as you. This _is_ a lifetime sentence, just for some shitty luck. It’s not ridiculous that I’d stay ‘ere with you, Toki. It’s basically a fuckin’ fluke that Ren can’t just force me to.”

Tokiya gets silent for a few seconds, but he does finally move to wrap his arms tightly around Ranmaru. Ranmaru holds Tokiya back in return. 

“The… other things. I was going to mention.” Tokiya says softly. “...I think it may be better. If you didn’t sit in on me and Ren. Because I don’t like seeing you upset. And I know it angers you. I’m happy to have you in the bed at night- but it’s not worth it. He _won’t_ hurt me, Ran. ...But in that same regard, I… I want to take it a step further with you. ...Because I truly, deeply care for you, Ran.” Tokiya squeezes him tightly. “I… I was hoping that the first time you’d see me naked would be when it was _us_ together. Now probably isn’t the time to say this- but I won’t say I regret sleeping with Ren. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be intimate with you and have it matter to me just as much. And I’d like to remedy the… undressed state of affairs, too. But only if you want to.”

Ranmaru sighs, but his grip on Tokiya’s tightens, too. “Course I do. …’N I… think yer right. I don’t really like leavin’ you alone with ‘im in general- but I don’t think he’s gonna do anythin’. ‘N while I hate that he’s keepin’ you ‘ere for the _literal_ power dynamic, it almost makes me feel better ‘t hear it. Makes me believe he doesn’t view you as disposable. …’N he _’asn’t_ hurt you yet. So I’ll start sittin’ out on that.”

Tokiya finally pulls back, but when he cups Ranmaru’s face this time, he pulls him into a kiss. “I think this will reduce your stress levels.” Tokiya mumbles, only barely pulling away from Ranmaru’s lips. He manages a small, teasing smile. “I appreciate how well you’ve been caring for me. I know that I’d feel the same, if you were in my place, Ran. But nothing here is perfect and I just want to try to make everyone as happy as I can make them.”

“Just wish you’d worry more about yourself.” Ranmaru mumbles. 

“I am. Right now. Touch me?”

Ranmaru’s chuckle is amused and exasperated- but he does. 

It’s different, than sleeping with Ren. Ranmaru is a bit rougher, and he is clearly less experienced than Ren is but it’s nice- because Tokiya still has extremely strong feelings but they feel less… _intoxicating_. They’re just… _warm_. 

Tokiya couldn’t honestly say who he prefers sleeping with more. They’re both addicting but in very different ways. 

He cries, sleeping with Ranmaru, too. But Ranmaru handles it differently than Ren. They don’t stop- but Ranmaru won’t continue until Tokiya’s tears are entirely gone. 

And Tokiya learns something new about Ranmaru. When they’re laying next to each other, tangled in each other, Tokiya traces a large tattoo on Ranmaru’s rib cage- it seems to be a bird, but only the skeleton of one. 

“What is it?” Tokiya’s voice is curious. Ranmaru’s eyes are closed. 

“A phoenix.”

“Why only the skeleton?”

“Looked cool.” Tokiya gives an amused huff- it’s clear that Ranmaru is teasing him, but Ranmaru actually does continue. “I like the pheonix, ‘n the idea ‘a risin’ from the flames ‘n everythin’- but you’ve gotta appreciate death ‘t appreciate life, y’know? If you fear death, it keeps you from really livin’. If you don’t acknowledge it, that hurts yer life, too. Nothin’s invincible.”

“How often do you think about things like that?”

“Thought about it a lot more as a kid. Used ‘t be a real daydreamer, y’know.”

“About… death?”

Ranmaru gives a tired snort. “About everythin’, but yeah. ‘Bout death, too. I feel like I’ve gotten myself pretty grounded in the present now, but I head my head _way_ in the future when I was a kid.”

Tokiya hums, returning his tracing. “Well. I like it. The tattoo.” Tokiya grins up at him, teasingly. “It’s very rock.” That gets Ranmaru to crack open one eye, and then both just so Tokiya can see him roll them, but when his close again, there’s a smile on Ranmaru’s face. 

The next time Ren comes home, he’s here for longer. He does monopolize Tokiya’s time- but Tokiya at least feels less guilt, without Ranmaru, sitting in the wooden chair. Ranmaru does still come in after, to sleep in the same bed as them, and Ren doesn’t ever seem to have a problem with it. 

Ranmaru’s been with Tokiya for what’s nearing four months. Ren was only gone for a few days, but the first person to return back _isn’t_ Ren. 

When Tokiya hears the front door open, he does head to the living room. He knew that Ren was coming home soon- and while Ren was never angry when Tokiya took his time to greet him, Tokiya liked welcoming him home. Ranmaru followed, but at a bit of a distance, clearly not as eager to do the same. 

Ren still gave Ranmaru attitude more often than Tokiya would like. 

But Tokiya is shocked to see a girl enter the house. The recognition is very, very faint but it _is_ there. She was an old puppet. At first, Tokiya feels hurt, trying to look behind her to see if Ren may have brought her back, but Ren is nowhere to be seen. 

Ranmaru hasn’t quite made his way into the living room. He’s not rushing- why would he? He likely thinks it’s Ren, and Tokiya is quiet in his hurt and confusion. 

“Where’s Ren?” The woman demands. Tokiya shakes his head, no. 

“He’s… he’s not here. Not right now. He’ll be back… later?” Tokiya’s head turns, to follow her as she walks further into the house, to head towards Ren’s room. Their… room? Their room. 

Tokiya follows her. “Wait- you shouldn’t… you can wait in the living room, but you shouldn’t go in there.”

“He’s in there, isn’t he?” She accuses, now only heading faster towards Ren’s room. Tokiya and Ranmaru had been back in the music room- nowhere near Ren’s room. They aren’t going to be crossing Ranmaru’s path on the way there. 

“He isn’t!” Tokiya insists. It’s almost pleading. She enters his room anyways, and he enters after her, nervous. Ren didn’t let very many people in his room- he was worried that this was _his_ fault. He should have stopped her. He just wasn’t sure how. “I’m not trying to get you to leave his house, I’m only trying to get you to leave his room. I’m sure you don’t want him angry either-”

“What makes you so special? You were always hiding in here.” She had seemed desperate when she had come in, but her anger is beginning to grow. It seems almost hysterical. 

Tokiya _had_ compared Ren to a drug before. She must have never been over him. Tokiya wonders how long she had been here, before Ren let her go. 

“He threw us away! What makes _you_ so special?” At first- it’s frustration. And then an idea seems to cross her mind and she looks around the bedroom. Tokiya isn’t sure what she’s doing at first, but then she _moves_ towards the glass lamp on the bed stand, grabbing it and yanking. It’s thin, and long, but Tokiya knows that it’s fairly heavy because he had once knocked it off of the bed stand and had nearly broken his foot when that exact lamp had landed on it. He had gotten quite the lecture on being more careful from Ren that day, as Ren iced his very heavily bruised foot. She holds it in one hand, the muscles in her arm straining. “If you were gone he’d have to take us back. Right?” 

Tokiya takes a step back, his eyes too wide. “Please just wait.” Tokiya’s voice shakes. “He’s going to be back. He’ll be back by tonight. Please.”

“We had to leave because _you_ didn’t want to.” It’s like a child, throwing a temper tantrum. Tokiya had backed into the wrong part of the room, she’s now in between him and the door, holding the lamp, its power cord disconnected and dangling. “That’s not fair!” 

Tokiya’s back is against the wall. He thinks he can hear movement- Ranmaru must be close, right? Ranmaru had been following Tokiya. At a distance, yes, but he was still following. He’s just getting into the door when the woman is close enough to strike. Tokiya’s arms don’t quite get up in time, not expecting her to be _able_ to swing the lamp as high as she had, and he can hear the lamp crack as it slams into the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. Ranmaru, in his surprise, manages to pull her back, away from Tokiya- but he doesn’t manage to disarm her. He’s just made his way in front of Tokiya, still on the floor, when he gets hit in the shoulder, though this time the lamp breaks, sending glass into the woman’s hands and into Ranmaru’s shoulder. Ranmaru blocks any and all of it from making its way to Tokiya. 

The woman is distracted when the front door opens. She leaves, towards the noise, but Ranmaru stays in front of Tokiya, though he lowers to a crouch. Tokiya is still in a form of shock, staring ahead of him with a blank wide-eyed expression. 

“Did I do this?” Tokiya looks up at Ranmaru, almost like a scolded child. “Is this my fault?”

Tokiya’s head hurts. The room isn’t quite staying still- but through all of that, he can see Ranmaru’s expression of pain from his own injury. 

“Course it wasn’t.” Ranmaru grunts. “She’s a crazy bitch.”

Tokiya tries to lower his head to the ground, but Ranmaru has to stop him, pressing the palm of his hand to Tokiya’s temple before he lays his head in a few shards of glass. 

“I can’t pick you up, Toki, but you can’t just lay here.”

“It’s fine.” There’s a deep voice behind them, and Tokiya’s eyes struggle to find and land on Ren. “I can pick him up.”

Ranmaru’s head turns, to look at Ren for a few long seconds over his uninjured shoulder, but he finally nods. He doesn’t fully stand until Ren walks over, near enough to pick up Tokiya. 

“Stay in here as well, Ranmaru. I’ll take care of your shoulder after I take care of Tokiya.”

Ranmaru narrows his eyes. “Why?”

“What do you mean?” Ren is too calm. Too casual. He’s cradling Tokiya too tightly and it’s betraying his true anger. 

“Why would _you_ take care ‘a me?”

“You took a hit for Toki. He’d likely be dead- imagine had she managed to land another hit against his head? Especially had it shattered, the way it did on you.”

“Yeah. Be a real fuckin’ shame ‘t lose your fuckin’ power outlet, huh?” Ranmaru spits. 

Ren’s voice is tight. “You’re both injured and tension is running high and that’s why I’m letting you get away with speaking to me like that right now. I’m sure that Toki has told you that I’ve _said_ I loved him. I may be manipulative Ranmaru, but I don’t often throw that word around for fun. I do have some morals. Whether you choose to believe that or not- I want Tokiya alive, well and happy. Let that be enough.”

“What happened ‘t the girl?”

“Right now, she’s on the couch.” Ren drops. It feels like his voice alone lowers the temperature in the room. “She _will_ be taken care of.”

“I’d ask what that means, but right now, I don’t think I fuckin’ care.”

“If you’d really like to know- I’m demarking her.”

“Demarking?” Tokiya mumbles. His voice is a bit slurred. 

“It’s a nasty thing for a puppeteer to do but I don’t have a choice. Imagine your remark Tokiya- it’s a bit worse than that. I’m entirely wiping her mark off. She has no rights to me in any way. I’m taking my protection and care back. She’s proven herself unworthy of it.”

Ranmaru makes a noise, but he just sits down at the end of the bed. It didn’t sound like a disagreeing noise. 

Tokiya only stays awake long enough for Ren to care for his head and the blood on his head the best he can. 

Tokiya wakes up in the middle of the bed with a terrible headache. 

Tokiya has to wait for at least an hour before Ren wakes up. Ren’s voice is tired, but it’s still a coo. “How are you feeling, baby?” 

“My head hurts.” Tokiya mumbles. Ren sighs, rubbing Tokiya’s chest, where his hand is resting. 

“I know, darling. I’m sorry. I’m absolutely appalled that any of my puppets would have the audacity to pull anything like this- but my commands only last so long. My order to stay away from you must have worn off. I spend all of last night calling any of the puppets that know where we live, my love, to make sure that they know to call me if they’re searching- and when some time passes, I’ll call again to remind them. There will not be any more… surprise guests, coming. _Especially_ not when I’m out. Thank God Ranmaru was here to protect you.”

“Was… was it my fault, Ren?” Tokiya’s voice breaks. “Am… am I in trouble?”

Ren looks genuinely surprised. “Of course you aren’t, Toki. Not in the slightest. She was not your fault, Toki. And I told you that they wouldn’t touch you, all that time back. Truthfully- I wouldn’t have been _surprised_ , had she said some harsh words to you. I would have been disappointed- but enough for a harsh scolding. Not an unmarking. But for her to dare raise a hand to you…” A dark expression crosses his face. “I have never had in fighting before. I don’t put up with it. I’m sorry that it happened. And I’m livid that it happened to _you_. But for now- rest. Please, Toki. You’re still injured.”

It was a command. Tokiya can already feel his eyes getting heavy. It’s only a few minutes later that he’s out. 

Ren stays longer than he normally does this time around. Tokiya gets a good three weeks of recovery before Ren even tries to sleep with him, and he takes it _very_ easy, the first time. Surprisingly, Ren was planning to try, earlier than the three weeks, but when _Ranmaru_ expressed worry, Ren relented with nothing more than a _”Better safe than sorry.”_

Tokiya’s nervous expression, after they’ve already slept together, gets Ren’s attention. 

“Talk to me, Toki.” Ren says softly. “What’s that face for?”

“You’ve been better.” Tokiya cringes when he blurts out his thought, but he’s forced to continue. “But there’s still something off with you and Ran. I know that you two may never really get along, but sometimes you scare me. The different way you act with me- trying to hurt him. It… hurts me, too.”

Ren’s expression softens, and turns into something almost guilty. “I’m sorry, baby. I really am.” Ren sighs, and his smile is surprisingly self-deprecating. “I told you that I’m used to polyamoury- and I am. But I’ve never had it like this, Toki. It turns out that I’m not above jealousy myself. To see Ranmaru so loving and devoted to you- so protective. To see you care so deeply for him. I felt threatened by him, and I lashed out like a child. I can’t apologize for trying to hurt him. I’m not that big of a person. But I am sorry that I hurt you in doing it. I can’t tell you that I’ll ever really get along with him- I think it’s always going to feel like a competition. Because I want you to be _my_ Tokiya, and Ranmaru is never going to relent with that. It’s hard to blame him. Because I’m not going to relent either. But because _you_ are the middle man- I can’t solve that problem by sending him away because that won’t make you happy. Even if I tell you to stop missing him- even if I force you to stop caring… you might not be _unhappy_. But you seem consistently happy now and I don’t want to take that from you.” Ren sighs, but he kisses his forehead. “I can’t promise to stop our rivalry- but I do promise to stop using you to do it.”

Tokiya closes his eyes. In a moment, Ranmaru will be in. But for now- Tokiya lets himself lie with Ren. 

Tokiya believes him.


End file.
